Jan Brueghel set to win the King George at Ascot

JAN Brueghel can secure victory in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (4.10pm) at Ascot this afternoon.

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Aidan O’Brien’s four-year-old can again battle to victory in the Group One middle distance championship contest in Berkshire.

The son of Galileo could still be improving having had just six runs. But having won five of those, several showing his toughness in a battle, Jan Brueghel is already a top-level performer.

Jan Brueghel didn’t run as a juvenile but despite looking green and not the easiest of rides, he rattled off three victories last season.

Following a maiden success at the Curragh last May, he won a Group Three contest - also over 1m2f at the same Dublin track - before landing the Group Three Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

He then stepped up to Group One company and up to 1m6½f in the Betfred St Leger at Doncaster and beat stablemate Illinois - who was runner-up in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last month - to land Classic glory. He only scored by a neck but showed his liking for a fight.

He lost his unbeaten tag when going down by a half-a-length to Galen in the Group Three Alleged Stakes at the Curragh on his seasonal return in April.

But with that run under his belt he drew the sting out of smart French raider Calandagan with a fine, tactical ride by Ryan Moore.

Although there is hope for the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained four-year-old to turn the tables over the course and distance on which he was a superb winner of the King Edward VI Stakes at Royal Ascot last year, Jan Brueghel has shown he knows how to win, while the French raider had been second four times in a row in Group One before getting his head back in front with victory in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.