Tragedy strikes King George

Triumph and despair were intertwined at Ascot on Saturday as Nathaniel's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes win was overshadowed by the death of Rewilding.

Although John Gosden's colt deserved each superlative for his mesmerising display, the sheen was taken off by the passing of Godolphin's esteemed representative. Rewilding had joined in the sprint to the line off a farcical early pace when he took a bad step and broke a cannon-bone, throwing Frankie Dettori to the ground, and soon after had to be euthanized.

This year's King George had, in theory, the makings of a genuine classic. In practice, such claims could not have been further from the truth.

Debussy's presence as a pace setter for his Godolphin stablemate might as well not have happened, such was the sedentary nature of the early pace.

It meant William Buick had to take the bull by the horns earlier than he wanted and set out to make the rest, followed by St Nicholas Abbey, Rewilding and Workforce, before Debussy did eventually go on.

Ryan Moore asked Workforce to take closer order starting round the home turn and the 6-5 favourite looked all set to pick up the leader, only for Nathaniel to find extra as the pair effectively sprinted to the line. Both horses veered left across the track, Workforce markedly so, but 11-2 chance Nathaniel was always holding the upper hand and prevailed by two and three-quarter lengths.

Nathaniel's triumph completed a big-race double for Gosden and Buick, who also combined to lift the Betfair Summer Double First Leg International Stakes with Bronze Prince.

Angels Will Fall, meanwhile, could be bound for the Lowther at York after preserving her unbeaten record for Barry Hills when resisting the late thrust of Regal Realm in the Princess Margaret Juddmonte Stakes.

Hoof It, jointly owned by Andrew 'Chubby' Chandler and Lee Westwood, gave weight and a beating to his rivals in the Sky Bet Dash at York. The Mick Easterby-trained Hoof It held off Tajneed by three-quarters of a length. He is now the 6-1 favourite for the Blue Square Stewards' Cup at Goodwood on Saturday.

The Sky Bet York Stakes saw Sir Henry Cecil's Twice Over bounce back to form with success in the hands of Tom Queally.

Gosden was back in the Ascot winner's enclosure yesterday afternoon, as Nehaam won the Eagle Rock Handicap under Richard Hills.

British raiders Dandino and Cavalryman finished out of the money in the Grosser Preis Von Berlin at Hoppegarten in Germany, as three-year-old filly Danedream powered clear to book a ticket to the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.