Daliapour has been backed to give owner the Aga Khan another big race success in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. Sinndar has already carried the Aga Khan's colours to victory in the Vodafone and Irish Derby’s this season and on Tuesday Ladbrokes shortened the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Daliapour to 9-2 from 5-1 for Saturday's race. Daliapour's stable-companion, Beat All, will be ridden by Kevin Darley in the Ascot feature. Joe Mercer, racing manager to the colt's owner Saeed Suhail, confirmed “Kevin Darley has been booked for Saturday.”
Beat All finished third in last year's Vodafone Derby but was beaten a short-head by Endless Hall in the Scottish Classic at Ayr last time when in receipt of 7lb from the winner. “I thought it was a good run in Scotland, Mercer said. We were a little disappointed he didn't win but everyone may have underestimated the winner. We are hoping for a good run in the King George. He's improving all the time and will be a better horse in the autumn.”
Irish trainer John Oxx has snapped up the services of Jimmy Fortune for the Aga Khan's rank outsider Raypour (100-1 with the Tote) in the £750,000 feature. Connections of Fruits Of Love are continuing their bid to get the five-year-old fit to take part in the prestigious contest. The dual Hardwicke Stakes winner had been forced to miss a gallop that was part of his preparation for the £750,000 highlight after suffering a setback last weekend. A spokeswoman for trainer Mark Johnston said, “Fruits Of Love exercised at home this morning and we are still trying to get him there.” The going at Ascot remains good to firm. (PA)
