Daylami is Ascot bound

Coronation Cup winner Daylami spearheads what could be a three-pronged challenge by Godolphin for Saturday's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot.

Godolphin, especially keen to maintain its fine record in the Group One contest, having won it three times in the last four years, purposely bypassed Sandown's Eclipse stakes with Daylami in order to keep the grey fresh for Ascot.

Racing manager Simon Crisford said: "Last year we felt that maybe Daylami, when finishing fourth behind Swain, was feeling the effects of his race in the Eclipse and so we decided to keep him fresh for the King George this season.

"He's our number one candidate and Frankie Dettori will ride him, but as for our other entries, Nedawi and Central Park, we are keeping our options open and will be making decisions about whether they run and who will ride them later in the week after we've seen the way the race is shaping up."

On the question of whether Daylami is better over the King George distance of a mile and a half, Crisford would not be drawn and added: "At this time of his career he has no strong preference for either a mile and a quarter or a mile and a half but we know he stays the longer trip very well."

This year's King George forms part of the Emirates World Series and means that Godolphin are more determined than ever to add Daylami's name to their previous wins in the race with Lammtarra (1995) and Swain (1997 and 1998).

Should Godolphin run all three of their entries their challenge would make up around a third of the King George field. Ten horses were accepted at yesterday's five-day stage, the others being Daliapour, Fruits Of Love, Indigenous, Oath, Sagamix, Silver Patriarch and Sunshine Street.

Vodafone Derby winner Oath, appears to have regained his form. The Irish, who last won the race with St Jovite in 1992, will be represented by Sunshine Street, whose jockey Johnny Murtagh will employ new tactics on the colt, who normally helps cut out the pace.

William Hill bet: 11-4 Oath (from 7-2), 3-1 Daylami, Fruits Of Love, 7-1 Daliapour, Silver Patriarch, 10-1 Nedawi, Sagamix, 14-1 Indigenous, 25-1 Sunshine Street, 33-1 Central Park.