This Saturday’s Ascot King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a race that will lack quantity – but certainly makes up for in quality.
With a fascinating Coronation Cup re-match between Jan Brueghel and Calandagan, plus a sprinkling of Kalpana and recent Hardwicke Stakes hero Rebel’s Romance.
Making the perfect ingredients for a ‘must-see’ race this weekend.
Jan Brueghel Looking To Become The First Coronation Cup Winner To Land The King George In The Same Season Since Daylami
One of the big Ascot King George fancies for Saturday’s race will be the Aidan O’Brien-trained Jan Brueghel – who we last saw getting the better of Calandagan in the Coronation Cup (watch below).
Last season’s St Leger winner out-battled Calandagan that day at Epsom by 1/2 a length and on the same terms many feel it will be more of the same again at Ascot this weekend.
However, since then the French runner Calandagan has come out and won the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, so the horse racing betting sites are finding it hard to split the pair in the market.
Over the years we’ve also seen many Coronation Cup and Ascot King George winners in difference seasons.
But the last to win both Group One races in the same campaign was the classy grey Daylami last century.
Meaning if Jan Brueghel can add to his winning tally on Saturday – he’ll become the first Coronation Cup winner since 1999 to win both races in the same season.
Since Daylami’s win in 1999, the likes of Hukum, Highland Reel and Postponed all won both races – just not in the same campaigns.
Kalpana A Live Ascot King George Hope
The last filly to win the Ascot King George was the mighty Enable – in fact, she won three between 2017 and 2020.
She was also owned by Juddmonte, who have another big hope this weekend in the race in Kalpana.
This 4 year-old landed the Fillies and Mares Stakes here at Ascot in October and it’s her first visit back to the Berkshire track.
She’s since run third in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and second to Oaks runner-up Whirl in the Pretty Polly Stakes – both at the Curragh over 1m 2f.
Kalpana is back taking on the boys on Saturday but will get a handy 3lbs fillies’ allowance – and will be bidding to give trainer Andrew Balding a first winner in the race.
While the step back up in trip should be a plus and she acts on all ground.
Rebel’s Romance Looking To Become The Oldest Ascot King George Winner EVER
The ‘boys in blue’ of Godolphin have won the Ascot King George five times – with Swain (1997) their first and former Derby winner Adayar their most recent in 2021.
Rebel’s Romance will be the next horse to try and add to their tally in the race as this veteran globetrotter looks to follow-up his Royal Ascot win from last month.
He was a nice winner of the Hardwicke Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths and the form of that race has since been franked with the second Al Riffa winning last weekend.
The big concern for his backers though would be his age (7).
Since the Ascot King George was first run in 1951 – EVERY winner has been aged 6 or younger.
And we’ve only had three winning 6 year-olds – Swain (1998), Enable (2020) and Hukam (2023).
Ascot King George Trends and Stats
- 22/23 – Past Group 1 or 2 winners
- 21/23 – Won over 1m4f before
- 20/23 – Placed in lat race
- 19/23 – Raced 2 or more runs already that season
- 18/23 – Previous Group 1 winner
- 18/23 – Aged 3 or 4 years-old
- 18/23 – Priced 13/2 or shorter in the betting
- 14/23 – Raced at Ascot before
- 13/23 – Aged 4 years-old
- 13/23 – Won last time out
- 10/23 – Favourites
- 10/23 – Won at Ascot
- 9/23 – Raced at Royal Ascot last time out
- 5/23 – Trained by John Gosden
- 3/23 – Trained by Aidan O’Brien
- No winner aged 7+ ever (since race first run 1951)
- No winner from stall 1 since 1999 (Daylami)
- Only three 6+ year-old winners since 1951
- Frankie Dettori has ridden the winner in 1995, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2017, 2019 and 2020
- 2 of the last 10 winners were that season’s Epsom Oaks winner
- Just 1 French-trained winner since 2007 (Goliath 2024)
- Adayar (2021) and Galileo (2001) were the last horses to do the Derby/King George double in the same season
- Trainer John Gosden won the race in 2011, 2014, 2017, 2019 & 2020
- Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor won the race in 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999 & 2004
- Trainer Aidan O’Brien won the race in 2001, 2007, 2008 & 2016
- The average winning SP in the last 10 runnings is 13/2
Ascot King George Runners 2025
- Calandagan (F-H Graffard)
- Continuous (A P O’Brien)
- Jan Brueghel (A P O’Brien)
- Rebel’s Romance (Charlie Appleby)
- Kalpana (Andrew Balding)
Jan Bruegel The Ascot King George Tip To Give Aidan A Fifth Win
The Ascot King George tip is JAN BRUEGEL, who can uphold the form with Calandagan from the Coronation Cup at Epsom.
This Aidan O’Brien-trained 4 year-old is as gutsy as they come and should this turn into a battle again – then he’s got the proven credentials in that department.
Saturday’s race will still only be his seventh career outing (5 wins), so there is also every chance we’ve still not got to the bottom of his improvement.
While even though this is his first run at the track and the Ascot King George trends tell is 14 of the last 23 winners had run at the Berkshire track before – there is every chance the stiff course will suit him even better.
Let’s not forget he won the St Leger over 1m 6 1/2f – so stamina is his forte.
O’Brien has taken his time with the horse this season too and this would have been a big target.
He’s taken to give the yard their fifth Ascot King George – but he might have to battle for it. He’s won three of this five races by just a neck.
Ascot King George Race Details 2025
See below the details for the 2025 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, with the Ascot Group One being shown live on the ITV Racing schedule.
📅Date: Saturday 26th July 2025
⌚Time: 4:10pm
🏃Trip: 1m 4f
🏆Grade: Group One
🏇Racecourse: Ascot
💷Winner: £850,650
📺 TV: RTV / ITV Racing
Ascot King George Betting Odds 2025
- Calandagan 15/8
- Jan Brueghel 2/1
- Kalpana 9/2
- Rebel’s Romance 11/2
- Continuous 100/1
Note: The odds listed are subject to change.
Recent Ascot King George Winners
- 2024 – Goliath (25/1)
- 2023 – Hukum (13/2)
- 2022 – Pyledriver (18/1)
- 2021 – Adayar (9/4)
- 2020 – Enable (4/9 fav)
- 2019 – Enable (8/15 fav)
- 2018 – Poet’s Word (7/4)
- 2017 – Enable (5/4 fav)
- 2016 – Highland Reel (13/8 fav)
- 2015 – Postponed (6/1)
