‘Different gear' Almaqam primed for York return
While Ombudsman has since gone to win the Prince of Wales's Stakes and finish a narrow second in the Eclipse, Almaqam has not run subsequently due to his need for a little ease in the ground – but conditions could be right on the Knavesmire this weekend.
Walker said: 'I left him in the King George but didn't feel Ascot was the right track in which to test him over a mile and a half for the first time against the Ballydoyle horses.
'At York the ground should be ideal, as well as the track and the trip. It's the natural progression into a Group Two and if he wins well, I will throw him into the deep end and take him back there for the Juddmonte.
'I thought 5-4 was quite a punchy price and it mirrors his reputation being bigger than what he's actually achieved in beating Ombudsman.'
Walker has high expectations for the son of Lope De Vega, who has won three of his eight career starts and counts a Listed triumph on his CV, as well as a couple of Group race places.
The trainer said: 'I've always thought the world of him as he's seriously exciting. My hopes and expectations make the nerves kick in as I think he's very special, and personally I will be very disappointed if he doesn't win a Group One as he's got everything you want in a racehorse.
'I've tried to be responsible and not to get impatient, and hopefully his big time will be in the autumn as the Irish Champion is a perfect target after which we might look at the Arc. But 10 furlongs is where we are going for now.
'He's certainly the best I've ever had so far, he's different gear.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
15 hours ago
- Telegraph
Ascot: King George, Saturday, July 26 – runner guide and tips
Race: King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes When: 4.10pm, Saturday, July 26 Where: Ascot Watch: ITV1 & Sky Sports Racing Class: Group 1 Trip: 1m 4f Horse age: 3yo+ Total prize money: £1.5million If you already have a Betfred account and are looking for a new bookmaker to use for this week's racing, check out more free bets from the best betting sites, reviewed by our experts Ron Wood's Eclipse verdict CALANDAGAN is an off-the-pace runner who can be a bit tricky, but he gained an overdue first Group 1 success in France on his latest start and he should reverse June's Coronation Cup form with Jan Brueghel. The form danger is Kalpana, but she might not appreciate the drying ground. Check out the Betfred promo code July 2025 Eclipse – Guide to runners and odds 1. Calandagan (4) – 7/4 with Betfred Trainer: Francis Henri Graffard; Jockey: Mickael Barzalona: Group 2 winner over course and distance at Royal Ascot last year. Denied by a cannily ridden Jan Brueghel in the Coronation Cup at Epsom in June, but shaped like the best horse in that race. He's not completely straightforward, but readily won a Group 1 race in France last time out and has strong claims again now. Stable won this last year. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 2. Jan Brueghel (2) – 7/4 with Betfred Trainer: Aidan O'Brien; Jockey: Ryan Moore: Last year's St Leger winner. Had a better position than Calandagan and the ground was on the slow side when defeating the French horse in this season's Coronation Cup at Epsom. Probably won't be quick enough now, on faster going, even with the addition of cheekpieces. ⭐⭐⭐ 3. Kalpana (5) – 9/2 with Betfred Trainer: Andrew Balding; Jockey: Oisin Murphy: Group 1 winner against her own sex here last October, but beaten on both starts this term and the ground may be quicker than she wants. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4. Rebel's Romance (1) – 9/2 with Betfred Trainer: Charlie Appleby; Jockey: William Buick: Terrific old horse, a seven-time winner at the top level. Didn't have the race unfold to suit when third in this last year and most recently won the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes over course and distance at Royal Ascot, but doesn't look up to this now. ⭐⭐⭐ 5. Continuous (3) – 100/1 with Betfred Trainer: Aidan O'Brien; Jockey: Wayne Lordan: Won the 2023 St Leger, but tends to be used as a pacemaker these days and he'll just be setting this up for others. ⭐ Odds courtesy of Betfred and correct at time of writing. If you already have a Betfred account and are looking for a new bookmaker to use for this week's racing, check out more free bets from the best betting sites, reviewed by our experts When is the next big racing festival? The week-long Galway Festival kicks off in Ireland on Monday (July 28), followed a day later by Glorious Goodwood. Check out the latest Glorious Goodwood free bets and betting offers. The latter is a five-day fixture and is set to feature the Kingman colt Field Of Gold, possibly the best horse in the world, in the Sussex Stakes on July 30, one of three Group 1 contests at the meeting. Ron Wood 2025 horse racing profit/loss If you're looking for online casino bonuses, check out the UK's best online casino sites Star ratings explained ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - confident selection ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - strong fancy ⭐⭐⭐ - fair claims ⭐⭐ - tentative choice ⭐ - minimum confidence
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Legendary jockey Kieren Fallon tips ‘overlooked' superstar to stun them all in £1.5million King George
Victory would see the horse smash the £11million career earnings mark ROM COM Legendary jockey Kieren Fallon tips 'overlooked' superstar to stun them all in £1.5million King George Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LEGENDARY jockey Kieren Fallon has tipped an 'overlooked' superstar to stun them all in Saturday's £1.5million King George. The blockbuster Ascot Group 1 is being billed as a mouthwatering rematch between Coronation Cup 1-2 Jan Brueghel and Calandagan. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Rebel's Romance ridden by William Buick on their way to winning the Hardwicke Stakes during day five of Royal Ascot Credit: PA Aidan O'Brien's runner got the better of the French raider that day but the market has Calandagan reversing the form this time. Nestled behind them in the betting is Andrew Balding's Kalpana, who will get 3lb from the big boys. But Fallon, who won the King George on Golan in 2002, is happy to bypass the market leaders and go for one at an each-way price, even if bookies are only paying two places. The six-time champion jockey is drawn to the chances of globetrotting sensation and 6-1 fancy Rebel's Romance. The Charlie Appleby-trained, Godolphin-owned hero has won more than £10m in his career and finished first in three of four races this year. Most recent of those was his Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes victory at Royal Ascot. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes odds Saturday's feature will pit the best of the best against each over 1m4f. Here's how the bookies currently have it... 13-8 Calandagan 7-4 Jan Brueghel 9-2 Kalpana 6-1 Rebel's Romance 12-1 Lambourn 16-1 Whirl 33-1 Green Impact 100-1 Continuous Not only did that salvage what was turning into a disastrous week for Appleby, but it confirmed he loves the Berkshire track in the summer. Fallon reckons everything points towards conditions suiting again on Saturday. And he thinks Rebel's Romance, despite being three years older than Jan Brueghel and Calandagan, has plenty of miles left in the tank. He said on Sky Sports Racing: "I would love to ride Rebel's Romance - he's a monster, a beautiful, big, genuine horse. "He's coming into the race strong after his Royal Ascot win. "His confidence will be very high." Former jockey Seb Sanders agreed that Rebel's Romance was 'overlooked' in the market. Fallon added: "Jan Brueghel is tough but I think Rebel's Romance, if he turns up, is going to be a hard horse to beat. "He looks amazing, is lightly raced and is doing everything right at home. "After his last run he will only improve, he didn't have a hard race and it was a confidence booster for him." FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Legendary jockey Kieren Fallon tips ‘overlooked' superstar to stun them all in £1.5million King George
LEGENDARY jockey Kieren Fallon has tipped an 'overlooked' superstar to stun them all in Saturday's £1.5million King George. The blockbuster Ascot Group 1 is being billed as a mouthwatering rematch between Coronation Cup 1-2 Jan Brueghel and Calandagan. Aidan O'Brien's runner got the better of the French raider that day but the market has Calandagan reversing the form this time. Nestled behind them in the betting is Andrew Balding's Kalpana, who will get 3lb from the big boys. But Fallon, who won the King George on Golan in 2002, is happy to bypass the market leaders and go for one at an each-way price, even if bookies are only paying two places. The six-time champion jockey is drawn to the chances of globetrotting sensation and 6-1 fancy Rebel's Romance. The Charlie Appleby-trained, Godolphin-owned hero has won more than £10m in his career and finished first in three of four races this year. Most recent of those was his Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes victory at Royal Ascot. Not only did that salvage what was turning into a disastrous week for Appleby, but it confirmed he loves the Berkshire track in the summer. Fallon reckons everything points towards conditions suiting again on Saturday. And he thinks Rebel's Romance, despite being three years older than Jan Brueghel and Calandagan, has plenty of miles left in the tank. He said on Sky Sports Racing: "I would love to ride Rebel's Romance - he's a monster, a beautiful, big, genuine horse. "He's coming into the race strong after his Royal Ascot win. "His confidence will be very high." Former jockey Seb Sanders agreed that Rebel's Romance was 'overlooked' in the market. Fallon added: "Jan Brueghel is tough but I think Rebel's Romance, if he turns up, is going to be a hard horse to beat. "He looks amazing, is lightly raced and is doing everything right at home. "After his last run he will only improve, he didn't have a hard race and it was a confidence booster for him." . Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who:
