Weekend Review

Poet's Word provided Sir Michael Stoute with a record-breaking sixth success in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes in a spellbinding renewal of the great race at Ascot on Saturday.

There was no Cracksman, but it did not matter as Stoute's inmate and James Doyle ensured a memorable finish at the expense of stablemate Crystal Ocean, the 6-4 favourite.

For a moment it looked as though Doyle had given the Prince of Wales's Stakes winner too much to do, but the pair fought out a colossal final-furlong battle before the 7-4 shot prevailed by a neck.

Stoute, who first won the King George in 1981 with the mighty Shergar, said: "It was pity there was a loser. That's how you sum it up. Doyle could have done a little bit better and got a dead-heat!

"They are two such admirable horses and it's delightful to train them. I always felt he wouldn't get there until the last 100 yards or so.

"It's a great mid-season race and we've been lucky enough to do well in it. It's a great team effort, you have no idea how much they put into these horses."

Having gone almost three years without a domestic Group One winner until the victory of Ulysses in last year's Coral-Eclipse, Stoute, who become the winning-most trainer at the Royal meeting in June, has now saddled five top-level winners in Britain since last July.

The cricket-loving Stoute said: "If you look closely we were having Group winners abroad in the Breeders' Cup etc. I'm never going to be champion trainer again as I don't have the numbers and the quality has deteriorated slightly, but at least we are making a few runs."

Having finished second at Newmarket to 1000 Guineas favourite Pretty Pollyanna - a race which saw Frankie Dettori hit with a careless riding ban by the stewards - Angel's Hideaway earlier got back on track with a stylish victory in the Princess Margaret Keeneland Stakes.

Trainer John Gosden said: "You could always look at the Lowther, particularly if the filly that won the Duchess of Cambridge (Pretty Pollyanna) goes to the Morny."

Burnt Sugar completed a big summer handicap double when adding the Gigaset International Stakes to his success in the Bunbury Cup, while Crack On Crack On made up for his disappointment at the Royal meeting in the Porsche Handicap.

Thundering Blue could challenge for the Juddmonte International in a thrilling race for the Sky Bet York Stakes on the Knavesmire.

Trainer David Menuisier said: "There's something about York that he loves, so why not (run in the Juddmonte)?"

Flying Pursuit could make a swift return to action at Goodwood on Saturday after the likeable sprinter won back-to-back renewals of the Sky Bet Dash.

Trainer Tim Easterby said: "The Ayr Gold Cup is the plan now, but there's also the Stewards' Cup to think about.

"It has to rain, but if it does he'll run at Goodwood."

Sunday was quiet on the domestic front, although Mick Appleby and Silvestre de Sousa were celebrating at Pontefract after teaming up for a four-timer, headlined by the Listed-race success of Big Country.

In Germany, the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Benbatl returned to winning ways with a Group One triumph, teeing up a run in either the Juddmonte International or Irish Champion Stakes.