It would be easy to focus on the Ascot form in the King George Stakes - but don't overlook those stepping up in grade

Australian mare Asfoora's win in the King Charles III Stakes means British sprinting is back in the dock. The current crop is weak all over, but the problem runs deeper over five furlongs than six. Looking at how the King George Qatar Stakes stacks up against its Group 1 rivals, you could argue that there is not a Group 1 five-furlong race in Britain worthy of the name.

The King Charles III and Nunthorpe are the only Group 1s in Britain over five furlongs. Between 2014 and 2023, the average winning Racing Post Rating for the King Charles was 122.5. For the Nunthorpe it was 121.9. The corresponding figure for the King George is 120.5.

In a five-furlong sprint, a difference of 1.5 to 2lb can work out at less than 0.1 seconds, so it is almost invisible to the naked eye. And that is before we consider the bias inherent to handicapping Group 1s versus Group 2s. This is minimised in the hands of a skilled handicapper, but it still exists.