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| Sumita Pawar |
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According to Roger Varian, King Of Steel, who is considered one of the top contenders for the King George And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot on Saturday, will not be affected if the ground becomes soft.
Varian is closely monitoring the ground conditions for the King Edward VII Stakes winner and Derby runner-up, especially with the forecast predicting more rain and heavy showers in the coming week.
Rising Star Shines At Ascot
“He’s in good form,” said Varian. “He’s done all we have asked of him and we are looking forward to it.
“He handled soft ground last season and while he hasn’t really been tested on it since he has been with us, there is no reason to think he won’t handle it.”
After impressively finishing second at Epsom, the 3YO offspring of Wootton Bassett showcased his potential by securing a commanding victory in a Group Two race at Royal Ascot.
“The forecast is a bit unsettled, but I don’t think rain will be an inconvenience to him — he’s a big individual and he should get through it. Ascot always produce nice ground and we don’t have any worries, really,” he added.
Following support for the 6YO whose best form is on softer ground, Hukum, trained by Owen Burrows, has become the main market mover for the 12-furlong highlight over the weekend, with Coral now offering odds of 9-2.