Duke can last pace and distance

ORDINARILY THE King George VI Queen Elizabeth Stakes is not a race to go into with concerns about lasting the mile-and-a-half trip but reassuringly for Irish fans both Aidan O'Brien and John Murtagh are confident Duke Of Marmalade is a pretty extraordinary talent.

The triple Group One winner has lit up the European scene at a mile a quarter this season and after his last visit to Ascot yielded a Prince Of Wales's Stakes victory Murtagh didn't hesitate to describe him as being among the best he has ridden.

Since that group contains some of racing's star names from the last decade and a half, it places Duke Of Marmalade in august company including both Dylan Thomas, who won last year's King George, and Alamshar, who put a stronger field than today's to the sword in 2003.

Yesterday Murtagh had far from back-tracked on his previous comments and said: "He has everything you need in a top horse. He's a great temperament, he loves a battle and he never lets you down. He's a special horse."

O'Brien is also chasing a third King George success after Dylan Thomas and Galileo (2001) and while the champion trainer is understandably reluctant to say Duke Of Marmalade will definitely stay at his first attempt at a mile and a half there seems little reason to doubt that if he does he is set to justify those short odds.

There is encouragement in the Duke's pedigree that he can last it out and his racing style is encouragingly relaxed. But it's the impression he has made in three starts this year that is the most convincing argument of all. After leg surgery last winter he has looked a different customer as a four-year-old. And at the end of the Prince Of Wales he looked to be going away from his opposition.

Duke Of Marmalade is joined by his stable companions Macarthur and Red Rock Canyon today but his main threats are likely to come from elsewhere. The Michael Stoute pair, Ask and Papal Bull, look true Group Two performers but Lucarno is a Leger winner who's coming into form.

The Irish star's main danger is likely to be Youmzain, runner-up last year, and who proved he can be a winner in the top-flight when circumstances go his way by beating Soldier Of Fortune in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

That should leave O'Brien knowing what is required to beat Mick Channon's five-year-old, and also with Red Rock Canyon in the race, there is the chance to dictate that suits the favourite. All told it looks an unbeatable combination.