Conduit leads Stoute clean sweep

Conduit led home stablemates Tartan Bearer and Ask as Sir Michael Stoute executed one his greatest training feats in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.Aidan O'Brien's squad occupied the leading positions for most of the way but once in the straight the Stoute trio surged past and had the race between themselves.Ryan Moore drove Conduit (13-8 favourite) into the lead in the final furlong and beat Tartan Bearer, in the same Ballymacoll Stud colours, by a length and three-quarters, with Ask a further head away in third spot.There was a stewards' inquiry as Conduit appeared to cross Tartan Bearer slightly in the closing stages, but the placings remained unaltered.Stoute, securing a fourth King George after Shergar (1981), Opera House (1993) and Golan (2002), said: "It's nice to watch and I'm very proud of them - they've all run great races. The others (Tartan Bearer and Ask) are top-class horses."It ranks very high among them (career achievements) - this is a bit special."Conduit and Tartan Bearer are both owned by Ballymacoll Stud, for whom Peter Reynolds is racing manager.He said: "That is our 50th Group One win, and Michael's 10th individual and 20th overall Group One for Ballymacoll - which isn't bad. We have had 28 individual Group One winners stretching back to 1966."Michael had the idea to run both horses for a while. Tartan Bearer was entered in the Group Two at Newmarket, but Michael said we would go to Ascot. I wasn't that happy about it at the time, but it is a great result."It is great to keep the firm up there. We are competing against some heavy hitters in Sheikh Mohammed and John Magnier's team and it is nice to have something to take them on with."