King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored by QIPCO) Ascot Racecourse Background Information for the 65th Running Saturday, July 25, 2015 Winners of the Investec Derby going on to the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored by QIPCO) Unbeaten Golden Horn, whose victories this year include the Investec Derby and the Coral-Eclipse, will try to become the 14th Derby winner to go on to success in Ascot’s midsummer highlight, the Group One King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored by QIPCO), in the same year and the first since Galileo in 2001. Britain's premier all-aged 12-furlong contest, worth a boosted £1.215 million this year, takes place at 3.50pm on Saturday, July 25. Golden Horn extended his perfect record to five races on July 4 in the 10-furlong Group One Coral- Eclipse at Sandown Park, beating older opponents for the first time in great style. The three-year-old Cape Cross colt, owned by breeder Anthony Oppenheimer and trained by John Gosden in Newmarket, captured Britain's premier Classic, the Investec Derby, over 12 furlongs at Epsom Downs impressively on June 6 after being supplemented following a runaway Betfred Dante Stakes success at York in May. If successful at Ascot on July 25, Golden Horn would also become the fourth horse capture the Derby, Eclipse and King George in the same year. ËËË Three horses have completed the Derby/Eclipse/King George treble in the same year - Nashwan (1989), Mill Reef (1971) and Tulyar (1952). ËËË The 2001 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes saw Galileo become the first Derby winner at Epsom Downs to win the Ascot contest since Lammtarra in 1995. Aidan O =Brien =s colt fought out a tremendous finish with Godolphin =s Fantastic Light, who was runner-up for the second successive season. ËËË Lammtarra =s victory in the 1995 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes was the middle leg of a rare treble. He won the Derby the month before and went on to take the Prix de l =Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October on his only three starts that year. The only other horse to win these three races was Mill Reef in 1971. Lammtarra, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, retired unbeaten. ËËË A total of 13 colts have completed the Derby/King George double in the same year. Besides Galileo and Lammtarra, the other Derby heroes to have gone on to success at Ascot in the same season are Generous (1991), Nashwan (1989), Reference Point (1987), Shergar (1981), Troy (1979), The Minstrel (1977), Grundy (1975), Mill Reef (1971), Nijinsky (1970), Pinza (1953) and Tulyar (1952). ËËË Additionally, two Derby winners, Teenoso (1984) and Royal Palace (1968), were victorious at Ascot the year after winning at Epsom Downs. Golden Horn (GB) Factfile Breeding: b c Cape Cross (IRE) - Fleche D =Or (Dubai Destination (USA)) Breeder: Hascombe and Valiant Studs Born: March 27, 2012 Owners: Anthony Openheimer Trainer: John Gosden Form: 1-1111 *Now top-rated horse in the world at 130 (Longines Best Racehorse Rankings), the last three-year-old to receive as high a rating was Frankel in 2011. *Stretched his unbeaten record to five with a front-running, three and a half-length victory over The Grey Gatsby in the 10-furlong Group One Coral- Eclipse at Sandown Park on July 4. *That came on the back of an impressive three and half-length success over stable companion and subsequent Irish Derby hero Jack Hobbs in the Investec Derby at Epsom Downs on June 6. *Began 2015 by taking the Listed Feilden Stakes at Newmarket in April before a decisive victory in the Group Two Dante Stakes at York on May 14. *Successful on only start of 2014, when landing an extended mile maiden at Nottingham in October. *Retained by breeder Anthony Oppenheimer after being bought back for 190,000 guineas at Tattersalls in 2013. Race record: Starts: 5; Wins: 5; 2nd: -; 3rd: -; Win & Place Prize Money: £1,186,604 Anthony Oppenheimer Born: June 11, 1937 Background: Anthony Oppenheimer is on the board of the De Beers Consolidated Mines and De Beers SA. A cousin of the former De Beers chairman and billionaire Harry Oppenheimer, Anthony was previously the President of De Beers Central Selling Organisation until he retired from the post in 2002. Racing Interests: He inherited his love of racing from his father, Sir Philip Oppenheimer, who bought Hascombe Stud at Cheveley, Newmarket & merged it with his Valiant Stud (named after his children Valerie and Anthony) in 1965. Sir Philip owned & bred 1,000 Guineas & Sussex Stakes winner On The House. Oppenheimer senior was also responsible for breeding 1997 Coronation Stakes winner Rebecca Sharp, although the filly won in Anthony's colours due to Sir Philip's death in two years earlier. In 1996 the stud decided to sell its colts as yearlings & horses sold include 2,000 Guineas winner Footstepsinthesand & Queen Elizabeth II Stakes victor Summoner. The stud also bred Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Rose Gypsy & 2011 EP Taylor Stakes heroine Miss Keller. The fillies Oppenheimer has retained include Coronation Stakes winner Balisada & Prix Saint-Alary heroine Marotta. Prior to Golden Horn, the best horse to carry Oppenheimer's colours in recent seasons is Bronze Cannon, a dual Group Two winner in 2009. He usually has 10 to 15 horses in training in Britain, with his other trainers including Roger Charlton, Charlie Fellowes, William Haggas & Ed Vaughan. Golden Horn was his first runner in the Investec Derby - his father owned Pelerin, fourth to Henbit in 1980, & his mother Lady Oppenheimer owned Mystic Knight, sixth in 1996. British Classic Wins (1): Investec Derby (2015 Golden Horn) Other big-race wins : Coral-Eclipse (2015 Golden Horn), Coronation Stakes (1997 Rebecca Sharp, 1999 Balisada) Jockey Club Stakes (2009 Bronze Cannon), Hardwicke Stakes (2009 Bronze Cannon) No previous King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored by QIPCO) winners John Gosden (Newmarket, Suffolk) Born: Lewes, Sussex, on March 30, 1951. Background: His father Towser was a trainer. Educated at Eastbourne College and Cambridge University. Worked in land management in Venezuela before returning to Britain to assist Sir Noel Murless from 1974 to 1975 and Vincent O'Brien from 1976 to 1977. After brief spell assisting Tommy Doyle in California, set up on his own in the US in 1979, where he trained with success for nine years. Saddled Robert Sangster's Royal Heroine to win inaugural Breeders' Cup Mile at Hollywood Park in 1984. Prompted by Sheikh Mohammed, returned to Britain in 1988, to train at the owner's Stanley House Stables in Newmarket. In 2000, moved to Robert Sangster's Manton estate in Wiltshire. Returned to Newmarket in 2005, having bought Clarehaven Stables. British champion trainer for the first time in 2012 with more than £3.7 million in prize money. Married to lawyer Rachel Hood, who is president of the Racehorse Owners Association, & they have four children - Sebastian, Serena, Theodora and Thaddeus. Accolades: Trained US Eclipse Award winners Bates Motel and Royal Heroine. British champion trainer in 2012. Has had 39 Royal Ascot winners. Trained the one-two in the 2015 Investec Derby with Golden Horn and Jack Hobbs. British Classic wins (8): Investec Derby (1997 Benny The Dip, 2015 Golden Horn), Investec Oaks (2014 Taghrooda), QIPCO 1000 Guineas (2000 Lahan), Ladbrokes St Leger (1996 Shantou, 2007 Lucarno, 2010 Arctic Cosmos, 2011 Masked Marvel). Other major wins include: Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (1999 Valentine Waltz, 2002 Zenda), Irish 2,000 Guineas (2014 Kingman), Irish Oaks (2012 Great Heavens), King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2011 Nathaniel, 2014 Taghrooda), Breeders' Cup Mile (1984 Royal Heroine), Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (2008 Donativum, 2009 Pounced), Breeders' Cup Classic (2008 Raven's Pass), Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (2000 Observatory, 2008 Raven's Pass), Irish St Leger (1992 Mashaallah, 2011 Duncan-dht), Arlington Million (2010 Debussy), Yorkshire Oaks (2009 Dar Re Mi, 2013 The Fugue), Dubai Sheema Classic (2010 Dar Re Mi), Coronation Stakes (2006 Nannina, 2012 Fallen For You), Eclipse (2012 Nathaniel, 2015 Golden Horn), Diamond Jubilee Stakes (2002 Malhub), Haydock Sprint Cup (1993 Wolfhound), July Cup (2003 Oasis Dream) Lockinge Stakes (1994 Emperor Jones, 2009 Virtual), Nassau Stakes (1997 Ryafan, 2012 The Fugue, 2013 Winsili, 2014 Sultanina), Nunthorpe Stakes (2003 Oasis Dream), Prix de Diane (2015 Star Of Seville), Prix Rothschild (2012 & 2013 Elusive Kate), Prince of Wales's Stakes (1994 & 1995 Muhtarram, 2014 The Fugue), Irish Champion Stakes (1993 Muhtarram, 2013 The Fugue), Falmouth Stakes (2013 Elusive Kate), Hollywood Derby (1983 Royal Heroine, 2013 Seek Again), Prix Jacques Le Marois (2014 Kingman), Qatar Sussex Stakes (2014 Kingman), St James's Palace Stakes (2014 Kingman). King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored by QPCO) record: 2014-1 TAGHROODA, 2014-4 Eagle Top, 2014-7 Romsdal; 2012-2 Nathaniel, 2012-9 Masked Marvel; 2011-1 NATHANIEL; 2009-4 Alwaary; 2008-7 Lucarno; 1997-5 Shantou Frankie Dettori Born : December 15, 1970, Milan, Italy Background: the son of Gianfranco, 13-time champion jockey in Italy. Frankie (christened Lanfranco) Dettori arrived from his homeland to join Luca Cumani's Newmarket yard as an apprentice in July, 1985. His first success came on Rif at Turin, Italy, on November 16, 1986 & he rode his first British winner on Lizzy Hare at Goodwood on June 9, 1987. He passed 100 winners for the first time in 1990 when recording 141 successes & created history when riding all seven winners on the Saturday at the Ascot Festival in September, 1996. Dettori survived a horrific plane crash at Newmarket in 2000 in which the pilot was killed. He was retained by Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation in 1993, but it was announced in September, 2012, that the retainer would not be renewed.