Warrsan bang on target for King George

Clive Brittain is looking forward to a big run from Warrsan in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

He has recovered from an insect attack suffered in his last race and is on course for the big race.

The improved performer was sent off a hot favourite for the Gran Premio di Milano in Italy last month, having previously won the Vodafone Coronation Cup, but failed by one and three-quarter lengths to back the front-running Leadership.

However, there were excuses, as Brittain explained.

“He got stung rather badly by mosquitoes and it upset him quite a bit and he froze in the stalls,” he said.

“He never really took the bit up until he turned for home but by that time the winner was able to dictate the race as we wanted to do.

“It was not just up to his usual standard.”

“He is in very good form and we are looking forward to a real big race. I think he’s going there with a very big chance so we are looking forward to it.

“He has done his normal routine work. He enjoys his swimming so it’s half the battle if you don’t have to use so much leg work on the gallops. He swims twice a day.

“The work I’ve done with him has been very impressive.

“The key to him is his attitude and racing weight and he’s within two kilos of his spot-on weight so one bit of work this week will put him there.”

Ladbrokes, who make a Warrsan a 16-1 chance, have seen plenty of money for Sulamani.

The Godolphin colt flopped at Saint-Cloud on his latest start but worked well in Newmarket on Saturday.

A decision on his participation will not be made until later in the week but the ‘Magic Sign’ have trimmed the son of Hernando to 6-1 from 8s.

“Sulamani was a horse we were happy to lay following his fourth in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud,” said Balthazar Fabricius, spokesman for Ladbrokes.

“However, the money came yesterday and again this morning and he is now our worst loser.”

Favourite with both Ladbrokes and Coral, at 5-2 and 11-4 respectively, is Irish hope Alamshar.

John Oxx’s charge finished third to Kris Kin in the Vodafone Derby before lowering the colours of Dalakhani in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh.

Connections of Kris Kin decided to bypass the Irish Derby with their charge but report the Kris S colt to bang on target for the weekend.

In the last 10 years only Lammtarra in 1995 and Galileo in 2001 have followed up their victories at Epsom with success in the midsummer highlight and the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Kris Kin is a general 5-1 chance to achieve the feat.

Joe Mercer, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail, said: “He did a bit of work on Saturday. Michael just worked him at about 6.30 on the watered gallop and everything is on line for the King George.”

Kris Kin was not added to the field at the Curragh because of fears that the ground would be too fast.

However, Mercer is confident conditions will be suitable for the chestnut to take his chance at Ascot.

He said: “A drop of rain would help but I’m certain they’ll put some water on it. It’ll be decent ground and it won’t be a problem.”

Clerk of the course Nick Cheyne said that watering is due to start at Ascot today.

“It’s been dry over the weekend so far,” he said on Sunday. “The ground is good to firm, good in places and we are going to put some water on.

“The forecast is for some showers around so obviously we’ll monitor that at the same time.

“We had rain last Wednesday and Thursday but it has been dry since so we’ll put some more water on.

“The forecast is unsettled with maybe a bit more rain on Thursday.”

Ladbrokes have also seen plenty of support for South African contender Victory Moon.

Mike De Kock’s four-year-old put up an eye-catching performance in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes earlier this month.

He was denied a clear run in the straight but was finishing as well as anything and was beaten only two lengths in fifth. He promises to be well suited by the mile and a half trip at the weekend.

“We have laid Victory Moon from 40-1 all the way into 12-1 so market confidence speaks for itself,” added Fabricius.

Coral make the Mark Johnston-trained Bandari a 25-1 chance but the Middleham handler warned that he is unlikely to take his chance.

“I wouldn’t think he’d run. There’s a couple of options for him, but we just don’t think he’s running quite up to his best so we are patiently waiting for him to be sparkling,” Johnston said.

“He did run a bit better last time but we are still beating our head against a brick wall in that he’s not running up to last year’s form.”

Ladbrokes betting: 5-2 Alamshar, 4-1 Nayef, 5-1 Kris Kin, 6-1 Sulamani, 7-1 Falbrav, 12-1 Victory Moon, 14-1 Millenary, 16-1 Indian Creek, Leadership, Warrsan, 20-1 Bollin Eric, 25-1 Grandera, Mamool, 33-1 bar.

Coral betting: 11-4 Alamshar, 5-1 Kris Kin, Nayef, 6-1 Sulamani, Falbrav, 12-1 Indian Creek, Warrsan, Victory Moon, 16-1 Bollin Eric, 20-1 Leadership, Chevalier, Millenary, Norse Dancer, 25-1 Bandari, Grandera, Mamool, Black Sam Bellamy, 33-1 bar.