Adayar storms to historic King George win at Ascot – with trainer Charlie Appleby forced to watch from home after ‘ping’

TOP jockey William Buick had Aday to remember at Ascot.

But self-isolating trainer Charlie Appleby was forced to celebrate Adayar’s brilliant King George from home.

Adayar was an impressive winner of the King George at Ascot

Appleby was a victim of the ‘pingdemic’ having been contacted by NHS test and trace on Wednesday afternoon.

He hasn’t left the house in five days and was so nervous before the race that he contacted Buick THREE times to confirm tactics.

And his heart would have been in his mouth when Adayar, the well-backed 9-4 second favourite, took a keen hold out of the gates.

Broome played the role of pacemaker in the five-runner field, with the 6-4 jolly Love shadowing Adayar’s every move under Ryan Moore.

Adayar finally dropped his head on the climb towards the straight and was the first to commit for home.

The 15,000-strong crowd let out a huge roar as Love went off in pursuit of her big rival.

But she was made to look one-paced by the quietly-ridden Mishriff (7-1), who swooped by at the furlong pole and had Adayar in his sights.

He tried his hardest to haul the winner in, but star three-year-old Adayar found extra to win decisively, completing a treble on the day for Buick.

In winning the King George, Adayar became the first horse since Galileo in 2001 to win both the Ascot feature and the Derby in the same year.

And a chuffed Appleby said: “I’m delighted – it’s an historic race and to be the first horse to do the double in 20 years is quite something.

“He deserves all the plaudits he is getting. He was an impressive winner of the Derby and he has shown it was no fluke.

“We were confident that the horse was going to Ascot in great form. The quick ground was an unknown but he handled it beautifully and William gave him a great ride.”

He added: “It was a pain not to be there – I last saw the horse on Wednesday morning before I was pinged.

“You’d love to be on course for historical moments like that but we are living in different times and you have got to follow the rules.

“Thankfully I can get released on Sunday so I can go and see the horse then.”

Victory in the King George was Buick’s second, after Nathaniel in 2011, and he couldn’t contain his excitement as he crossed the winning line.

He grinned: “I might have gone a bit over the top with my celebration but I really enjoyed it. 

“Broome set my horse alight a little bit in the early stages but I managed to get him relaxed and into a rhythm. 

“He had a powerful kick at the top of the straight and was very resolute all the way to the line.

“It’s an absolute pleasure to ride horses like him – he felt amazing.”

Aidan O’Brien was at a loss to explain the run of Love, who held on for third ahead of Lone Eagle.

Coral pushed her out to 10-1 (from 5-1) for the Arc at Longchamp in October while slashing Adayar into 5-1 (from 10-1) for the same race.

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