King Of Steel camp 'very excited' as star colt assumes Irish Champion Stakes favouritism in Mostahdaf's absence

King Of Steel (Kevin Stott) wins the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot

King Of Steel: imposing colt will race over 1m2f for the first timeCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Roger Varian on Wednesday said King Of Steel was bang on course for next Saturday's Irish Champion Stakes, for which he is the new favourite after Mostahdaf joined Ace Impact and Paddington on the list of big-name absentees.

The Royal Bahrain-backed race – the most important all-age contest in Irish Flat racing's calendar – still has the potential to be a cracker, and Varian is relishing the prospect of seeing how the high-class King Of Steel gets on when he renews rivalry with Derby conqueror Auguste Rodin.

Third in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes on his most recent start at Ascot last month, King Of Steel is 5-2 with Betfair Sportsbook and Paddy Power to land the 1m2f Irish Champion, while Auguste Rodin, who flopped in the Ascot highlight, is 4-1 with bet365.

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James BurnLambourn correspondent

Published on 30 August 2023inIrish Champions Festival

Last updated 20:25, 30 August 2023

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