Gordon in good shape for QEII Tom Hogan reports Gordon Lord Byron to be in tip-top shape as he tackles a mile again in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot. The consistent and versatile five-year-old was put firmly in his place by Moonlight Cloud when going for back-to-back wins in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp, but he had earlier been an impressive winner of the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock. "He's in very good form and he's drawn well (two). The ground could probably end up good to soft, which would be ideal," County Tipperary-based Hogan told At The Races. "All the pace is on our side, so hopefully we will bring home some prize money. He ate and drank his way home from France and has been ticking over since. We don't do too much with him. He's had a good bit of racing, but he's very well." Kingsbarns has only his second run of the campaign after making a delayed seasonal debut in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown last month Although that did not go to plan, trainer Aidan O'Brien is pleased with the colt and has opted for this mile event rather than the Qipco Champion Stakes over a mile and a quarter for last year's Racing Post Trophy winner. The Ballydoyle handler told www.coolmore.com: "Things didn't work out for him in the Irish Champion Stakes, in which he was having his first run of the season. He collided with The Fugue crossing the roadway in the back straight, and lost his action for about a furlong. "Joseph (O'Brien) accepted the situation and he ended up having no sort of race. We've been happy with him since and decided on this race rather than asking him to go further on soft ground."
