Postponed wins King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes in thrilling fashion

London - Owned by Shaikh Mohammed bin Obaid Al Maktoum and trained by Luca Cumani, the well-bred Dubawi colt maintained the title which was won last year by Taghrooda.

By Hisham Al Gizouli/Chief Reporter

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Published: Sun 26 Jul 2015, 10:03 PM

Last updated: Tue 28 Jul 2015, 8:33 AM

Postponed made the right move at the right time under Andrea Atzeni to deny the mount of Frankie Dettori and favourite Top Eagle in a close finish in the 2015 running of the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
Owned by Shaikh Mohammed bin Obaid Al Maktoum and trained by Luca Cumani, the well-bred Dubawi colt maintained the title which was won last year by Taghrooda in the blue silks of Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and completed the 12th Royal silverware for the UAE horses since Mtoto has won it for the first time in 1988 in the colours of Shaikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Atzeni said: "Fair play to the owner, if that was me I would never have run him on that ground. He stays well and he's got a big heart. I thought Frankie was going to get to me, but this fellow doesn't give up. Things haven't gone his way this year, but it's now paid off. What a great day."
Cumani was full of praise for the rider, who was brought in to replace Adam Kirby, saying: "It was a fantastic race. Andrea gave him a peach of a ride. The horse was ready for a mile and a half, he just wanted a good pace. I wasn't sure about the ground - I didn't know whether he could handle it. They were locked together in battle and I didn't know who had won. I'm naturally a pessimist and I'd prefer to be surprised favourably, rather than unfavourably."
Ironically, Postponed, was ridden by Andrea Atzeni after owner Shaikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum took the decision to replace his retained rider Adam Kirby, and has just held the advantage at the line with the judge required to separate the pair.
Atzeni's position as retained jockey to Qatar Racing had precluded him from riding Postponed this term, with Adam Kirby taking over in the saddle for his last three starts - including when third at Royal Ascot in the Hardwicke Stakes, in which Eagle Top finished second.
Kirby's ride in the Hardwicke attracted some strong criticism from Gosden, with Cumani confirming earlier in the week that Atzeni was back at the helm for the King George.
However, it has all happened following the late withdrawal of the Classic colt unbeaten Golden Horn on the account of the soft ground. Frankie Dettori took the ride on Eagle Top (2-1), the second representative of the John Gosden yard; from the champion jockey Richard Hughes who was booked for the job. Cut to 6-1 by the bookmakers, Postponed was perfectly poised in third behind the early speed which was set by William Buick onboard the Godolphin runner Romsdale while Dettori has tailed off the small field. And towards the home turn, Atzeni said go and Postponed responded keenly to take the lead and held on gamely when attacked by Eagle Top in the dying strides to prevail by a short-head. Romsdale was relegated to third.
Manwhile, Golden Horn is now likely to run in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York on August 19. After having walked the track before the meeting was due to begin, Gosden felt conditions had gone against the Derby and Coral-Eclipse hero.
Trainer John Gosden commented: "Eagle Top ran a great race. He was forced wide into the straight to come round the Italian horse (Dylan Mouth). It probably cost him at the end but he ran a great race. I couldn't be more thrilled with him. The ground is tacky, holding. They went a good solid pace and Romsdal's also run a lovely race."


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