Godolphin pair dominate Diamond market

Godolphin's big guns continue to dominate the betting for the #750,000 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.

Sakhee, winner of last year's Juddmonte International and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe-Lucien Barriere, is as low as 5-4 favourite with William Hill for Saturday's Ascot showpiece and is 13-8 with Coral.

He has however not raced since disappointing in the Dubai World Cup at Nad Al Sheba in March, but has pleased connections in his recent work.

His stablemate Grandera is 15-8 with both firms after impressing with wins in the Singapore Airlines International Cup at Kranji in May and the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.

Godolphin took the King George three years running with Swain (1997 & 98) and Daylami (1999) but have had to settle with second place for the past two years through Fantastic Light behind Montjeu (2000) and Galileo (2001).

However, the latter's trainer Aidan O'Brien will field only a second team this time round. He took out dual Derby hero High Chaparral and Coral-Eclipse winner Hawk Wing at the last forfeit stage and is likely to run Bach and/or Della Francesca on Saturday.

The weather will play an important part in other trainer's plans.

Marcus Tregoning has his fingers crossed for a dry week ahead of Nayef's bid and he admitted that the colt's tilt at the race has taken on extra significance with the death of owner Hamdan Al Maktoum's stallion Nashwan on Friday.

Victory would make Nayef the natural replacement at Shadwell Stud for his dual Classic-winning half-brother as he is the last male offspring of top broodmare Height Of Fashion - also the dam of high-class sire Unfuwain who himself died relatively recently.

'Nayef is the last colt out of the mare,' confirmed Tregoning, who was assistant to trainer Dick Hern when Nashwan won the 2000 Guineas and Derby.

'The mare has got lots of daughters but Nayef is an important horse and hopefully he will perform really well on Saturday.

'We are keeping an eye on the weather but I think the forecast from midweek is pretty good so hopefully he will run.'

Tregoning reckons firmish ground suits Nayef, much as it did his late sibling who won the King George in 1989.

'He is beautifully-actioned - he has a very similar action to Nashwan,' the trainer said.

'It is extraordinary. They both have that sort of panther-like long stride which means you never imagine they are going very fast - but they are going incredibly fast.

'I'd rather have fastish ground - good or fastish but not on the easy side as it blunts his speed.

'He is in very good form so I am hopeful for a big run.'

Nayef finished fourth to Grandera in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes last time out.

Connections of German challenger Boreal have declared themselves satisfied with the colt's preparation.

The Peter Schiergen-trained four-year-old finished a two-length third to Nayef in the Dubai Sheema Classic before making a successful trip to Epsom for the Vodafone Coronation Cup where he was partnered by Kieren Fallon and the champion jockey is once again expected to be on board in the #750,000 midsummer highlight.

'He has improved a lot from three to four and everything is in order, everything is right,' the trainer's wife Gisela said today.

Mrs Schiergen added that they have no concerns over the going at Ascot.

She said: 'It was soft at the Coronation and it was firmer in Dubai so it doesn't matter what the ground is like - maybe he is a little bit better on softer ground.

'Kieren Fallon is booked to ride him. He has a very good record for us this year. He has won two Group Ones - the Italian Oaks on Guadalupe and the Coronation.'

Officials at Ascot are set to recommence watering the track ahead of the three-day King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes meeting, which gets under way on Friday, after forecast showers failed to materialise.

Clerk of the course Nick Cheyne said: 'We missed all the rain on Saturday and we are good to firm at the moment.

'There's an odd shower forecast today and it's a bit overcast here and we are going back in starting watering Monday morning.

'We watered last week but stopped over the weekend because of some showers around and if we miss all those then we go in watering first thing.'

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes betting:

Coral: 13-8 Sakhee, 15-8 Grandera, 8-1 Golan, 10-1 Millenary, 12-1 Boreal, Nayef, 14-1 Aquarelliste, 16-1 High Pitched, Quarter Moon, Storming Home, Zindabad, 25-1 bar.

William Hill: 5-4 Sakhee, 15-8 Grandera, 7-1 Golan, 12-1 Boreal, Nayef, Zindabad, 14-1 Aquarelliste, High Pitched, Millenary, 16-1 Storming Home, 33-1 bar.