Aidan O'Brien has drawn a comparison between Benvenuto Cellini and the colt's legendary grandfather Galileo, possessing all the same class and courage but "probably" a touch more pace, as he chases a first King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes triumph since 2016.
The three year old is looking to build on his Irish Derby victory with a winning display at Ascot this weekend, a race Galileo himself won during his Classic year back in 2001.
And while it represents the sternest examination of his career against a stellar line-up of older rivals, O'Brien is convinced the son of Frankel has every attribute needed to become only the seventh three year old winner of the race this century.
High praise for Benvenuto Cellini
"We think he's a very high-quality, classy horse on fast ground. He's probably a bit quicker than Galileo was, but he moves like him and we think he's brave like he was too," he said.
"There's no better mile-and-a-half race anywhere. It's a difficult race, usually run on fast ground and it's run at Ascot too, which is a very special place. You need a horse that stays."
"They have to have class and it's where the three-year-olds meet the older horses for the first time (at the trip)."
Benvenuto Cellini will need to get the better of not only race favourite Calandagan but last year's runner-up Kalpana, Japanese star Masquerade Ball and stablemate and Arc runner-up Minnie Hauk, to name just four of what could be a field of ten.
O'Brien's King George history
O'Brien acknowledges he is unleashing two genuine contenders as he attempts to secure a prize he has claimed four times previously, with Dylan Thomas (2007), Duke Of Marmalade (2008) and Highland Reel (2016) joining Galileo's triumph.
Minnie Hauk produced an excellent second behind Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales's Stakes last time out, a performance O'Brien believes will have set her up perfectly for the step back up to 12 furlongs.
"We ran her in the Prince of Wales's Stakes with a view to coming back for the King George, and we thought that was probably her best run ever. The extra couple of furlongs should really suit her," the trainer said.
Following her runner-up finish behind Daryz in Paris last October, Minnie Hauk concluded her campaign with a sixth-place effort behind Ethical Diamond in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar in California.
Breeders' Cup ambitions
Both the filly and Benvenuto Cellini could share the same objective, with the King George guaranteeing entry into the field for the Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland at the end of October as part of the Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' series.
O'Brien explained: "The Breeders' Cup is massive. We went there last year (with Minnie Hauk) and got things wrong tactically. You can't go anywhere better, it's where all the horses meet. It's very competitive racing at good tracks and the atmosphere is second to none."
"Benvenuto Cellini could go too. He's a horse that will enjoy travelling and he's a great mover. He would be fine coming back to a mile and a quarter, and I think you need that kind of pace at the Breeders' Cup."
"He's an easy horse to train who doesn't take a lot of work so it could suit him perfectly."
