Ascot defends King George

Officials at Ascot have launched a fierce defence of the King George VI And

Queen Elizabeth Stakes following recent suggestions the big race may be in

decline.

This year's renewal of the all-aged showpiece attracted just seven runners and

no representative of the Classic generation, with Derby winner Authorized having

run instead in the Eclipse at Sandown earlier in the month.

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Chief executive Charles Barnett said in a statement: "The King George produced

a breathtaking performance from Dylan Thomas, who I'm sure time will tell was as

good a winner of this great race as there has been in recent years.

"The crowd of 25,177 is down on what we would normally expect - the general

uncertainty over who was going to run didn't help advance sales, nor has the

fact that long-term intended runners such as Rail Link, Red Rocks and Sixties

Icon are either injured or out of form.

"We know historically that the absence of the Derby winner can reduce the

crowd by around 5,000 people and, equally in my experience, when the weather is

bad in the run up to big races, people are reluctant to plan ahead and sales dip

- this year has been particularly bad in that respect of course.

"We're looking forward now - we're confident of finding a sponsor for next

year's King George and prize money is on our minds in order to build on the

international element.

"I think some of the recent comment about the direction the race is going has

been quite surprising given that it followed one of the best King Georges in

recent memory last year, where the Arc winner took on the Dubai World Cup winner

and Japan's Champion Heart's Cry.

"That was actually the highest-rated race in the world in 2006, based on the

World Thoroughbred Rankings.

"As far as the three-year-old issue is concerned, I'm sure it's cyclical -

perhaps the Derby winner will take the more traditional Irish Derby/King George

route next year and it would be great to see connections of the top fillies and

mares have a crack at the big one rather than be restricted to races against

their own sex.

"It can be done, as Ouija Board showed in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, and

that race probably more than any other in her wonderful career was almost

certainly the hardest task she faced.

"The King George is the country's top-rated and most prestigious all-aged race

with a wonderful history - press comment and indeed comment from the industry as

a whole has been very comforting in that it seems that we are not the only ones

that want it to be the championship race it has always been.

"In the meantime, congratulations must go to the whole team at Ballydoyle on a

great victory, and indeed to Youmzain's connections after a superb run in

second."