Azamour wins in record time

Irish raider Azamour came from last to first to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes in record-breaking fashion at Newbury on Saturday.

Ridden by Mick Kinane the 5-2 favourite set a new course and distance record for the race, which is the mid-summer highlight of the British racing season.

Azamour, who won the Prince of Wales's Stakes at the Royal Ascot in June for owner The Aga Khan, prevailed by a length and a quarter from 50-1 outsider Norse Dancer with Arc de Triomphe winner Bago a short-head back in third.

Another long-shot, the seven-year-old Warrsan, who was available at odds of 50-1, finished a game fourth under a strong rider by jockey Seb Sanders.

Fading away

Godolphin's Doyen, who won the King George last year, briefly led but faded away to finish sixth for Kerrin McEvoy.

Kinane told BBC Sport: "He's come from last before. He likes to get into a rhythm and I didn't want to throw him out from stall 12.

"I never had any doubts about his stamina. I always thought he'd be better when he stepped up in trip.

"He is an ultra consistent, high-class horse."

Azamour was cut to 7-2 second-favourite (from 12s) for the October 2 Arc de Triomphe by William Hill. Trainer John Oxx said: "I was very impressed with him today. "I would expect that the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, which he won last year, would be his next race. Then obviously the Arc is a possibility. We'll see after that."

The Aga Khan added: "I had a pretty good feeling that he would stay. We wanted him to do as little as possible in the first part of the race.

"He's certainly one of the best horses I've ever had. We were very aware that this was a very, very strong field. He came there very easily in the last two furlongs to take it up."

Entirely happy

Commenting on the improved performance of Doyen, McEvoy commented: "He ran better but I am still not entirely happy with him. He has improved on his run at York but is not up to his best form of last year."

Meanwhile, Godolphin's Razkalla goes for Group One glory when he lines up in the Deutschland Preis over 12 furlongs at Dusseldorf today. The seven-year-old gelding, the mount of Kerrin McEvoy, will be making his sixth appearance of 2005.

Trainer Saeed Bin Surour, said: "Razkalla has been working nicely I'm happy with him. He has a better chance in this race rather than the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes."

Results

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (Group 1) 1m 4f:

1) Azamour (trained by J Oxx) ridden by M Kinane; 2) Norse Dancer (D Elsworth) J Egan; 3) Bago (J Pease) T Gillet; 4) Warrsan (C Brittain) S Sanders.

Distances: 1 1/4l, 5. Time: 2:28.26s.