King George Stakes Tips: Lazuli to outclass rivals on Friday

Some world class sprinters have tasted victory in the Group 2 King George Stakes, which is the feature race on day three of Glorious Goodwood, and the 2022 renewal appears to be a hugely competitive renewal of the 5f dash, and our man Steve Chambers previews the Friday showpiece here and picks out his best bet...

With the bookmakers going 4/1 the field, it just emphasises the fact that we are set for a fascinating renewal of the King George Stakes, and sitting at the head of the betting is Roger Varian's Mitbaahy and Mick Appleby's Raasel, who are both available at 4/1. The former, a son of top class sprinter Profitable, has been in tremendous form this season as having won a conditions event at Hamilton he then went on and won the Listed Scurry Stakes at Sandown Park. Narrowly beaten by the aforementioned Raasel in the Coral Charge at Sandown last time out, Varian's charge will be looking to take avenge for that neck defeat.

Raasel is also riding the crest of a wave at the moment, and that five-year-old had previously claimed a Listed win prior to that Sandown Group 3 last time out, and the pair are two of the form performers taking their chance here. However, they will both need to step up if they are to play a starring role here, and while they should run solid races they could prove vulnerable to some classier rivals.

Charles Hills trained Battaash to victory in this race four years on the bounce, and he will unleash a dual-pronged attack in this year's contest with Equilateral (13/2) and Khaadem (7/1) both taking their chance. The former put up a bold bid in the King's Stand at Royal Ascot when he finished 5th at huge odds, and was last seen finishing third at the Curragh. A real model of consistency, he's found it hard to get his head in front of late, so maybe worth looking at from each-way perspective.

Khaadem hasn't been seen on the track since late April when he won the Group 3 Palace House Stakes at Newmarket, where he narrowly beat Existent (20/1), and while he's an eye-catching raider here, the break is a slight worry and he could be vulnerable to more race-fit rivals.

Charlie Appleby's LAZULI is undoubtedly the class act in the race, and he will have to give weight away to all his rivals, but the five-year-old has to be decent value at 8/1 with the bookmakers if he can produce his best. A hugely impressive one-and-a-half length winner over Acklam Express in a Group 2 at Meydan two starts ago, Lazuli then failed to fire in the King's Stand at Royal Ascot, as he could only finish ninth. However, this looks much easier on paper, as he won't have to contend with a sprinter in the same stratosphere as Nature Strip, and he take on Acklam Express here, and he should be able to frank the Dubai form. He has tasted Group success on British soil, so if he can bounce back from that Ascot run then he should be on the vicinity and looks the value play in the race.

Nigel Tinkler's Acklam Express put up a monster run in the King's Stand, as at an eye-bulging 200/1 shot he finished a sparkling third, which was a career best, so a repeat of that effort would very much see him involved, but it's been nearly two years since he got his head in front, so can be best watched.

Of the others, Czech raider Ponntos failed on his British debut in the King's Stand, as he finished 13th of 16, so is one to ignore at double-figured odds, while the likes of Caturra (20/1), Clarendon House (20/1) and Vertiginous (50/1) complete the line-up, but all appear to be up against it in what is a wide open contest.