A top-class nine-runner field will contest the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (3.35 Ascot) on Saturday, shown live on ITV and Sky Sports Racing. Here we provide the lowdown on every contender and give a tip.
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King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes: forecast betting odds for the big race
Horses listed in racecard order
Calandagan 13-8
Goliath 9-1
Lambourn 100-1
Masquerade Ball 4-1
Wurttemberg 66-1
Kalpana 9-1
Minnie Hauk 5-1
Action 100-1
Benvenuto Cellini 4-1
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes: full list of runners and riders
His flop in the Coronation Cup at Epsom last month can be excused by the substantial rain and he showed he was none the worse when winning the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (1m4f, good to firm) three weeks ago; had just a neck to spare last time but did well to come from the back of the pack off a stop-start gallop; he’s a six-time winner at the top level, including this race last year, and he holds leading claims.
Trainer: Francis Graffard
Jockey: Mickael Barzalona
Forecast odds: 13-8
Jky: Mickael Barzalona Tnr: F-H Graffard
Won this in 2024 (good to firm) at 25-1 and has won four Group races since, the latest the Group 2 Grand Prix de Chantilly (1m4f, good) this May; bang there in the final furlong of the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes over course and distance (good to firm) at the royal meeting only for Christophe Soumillon to lose his irons; he has an each-way chance.
Trainer: Francis Graffard
Jockey: Christophe Soumillon
Forecast odds: 9-1
Jky: Christophe Soumillon Tnr: F-H Graffard
Last season’s Derby/Irish Derby winner who reappeared with a win in the Group 2 Huxley Stakes at Chester in May; however, he hasn’t come up to scratch on his three starts since and needs to turn things around; the cheekpieces worn on his four outings this season are left off.
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Jockey: William Buick
Forecast odds: 100-1
Jky: William Buick Tnr: A P O’Brien
Won the Grade 1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Tokyo (1m2f, good to firm) last November and narrowly lost out to Calandagan in a titanic tussle in the Grade 1 Japan Cup there (1m4f, good to firm) later that month; bumped into prolific Grade 1 winner Romantic Warrior when second in the Grade 1 QEII Cup at Sha Tin (1m2f, good to firm) in April on his sole run this year and this Japanese raider could have a big part to play in his rematch with Calandagan.
Trainer: Takahisa Tezuka
Jockey: Christophe Lemaire
Forecast odds: 4-1
Jky: Christophe-Patrice Lemaire Tnr: Takahisa Tezuka
Six-year-old who produced a clear career-best when beaten a nose at 206-1 in the Grade 1 Tenno Sho (Spring) at Kyoto (2m, good to firm) in May; however, on a formline through the winner he has something to find with Calandagan and his compatriot Masquerade Ball.
Trainer: Hiroshi Miyamoto
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Forecast odds: 66-1
Jky: Oisin Murphy Tnr: Hiroshi Miyamoto
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She’s won the last two runnings of the Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes here in October and she was a length second of five to Calandagan in this race last year; short-headed in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes over course and distance (good to firm) at the royal meeting and she might not be far away.
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Colin Keane
Forecast odds: 9-1
Jky: Colin Keane Tnr: Andrew Balding
1m4f Group 1 wins last summer in the Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks before head second in the 1m4f Arc at Longchamp; back on song when runner-up in the Group 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes here (1m2f, good to firm) last month and, although she was beaten four lengths and Ryan Moore rides stablemate Benvenuto Cellini today, she was behind the brilliant Ombudsman and could build on that latest effort back up to 1m4f.
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Jockey: Wayne Lordan
Forecast odds: 6-1
Jky: Wayne Lordan Tnr: A P O’Brien
Runner-up in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster (1m, heavy) last October and filled the same position in the Group 2 Dante at York (1m2½f, good) in May; however, he’s been well beaten in the Derby and Irish Derby on his last two starts, having made the running each time; hard to fancy.
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Jockey: Sean Levey
Forecast odds: 100-1
Jky: Sean Levey Tnr: A P O’Brien
Sent off favourite in the rain-affected Derby at Epsom last month, when he finished tenth past the post but was deemed to be a non-runner having got his leg caught in the stalls; subsequently justified favouritism in the Irish Derby at the Curragh (1m4f, good); this is a tougher test of his credentials but he brings star potential and he’s Ryan Moore’s mount of the Ballydoyle four; he may well be up to the task.
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Forecast odds: 4-1
Jky: Ryan Moore Tnr: A P O’Brien
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes tip and 1-2-3 prediction
1. Calandagan
2. Minnie Hauk
3. Masquerade Ball
Last year’s winner CALANDAGAN returned to form when winning the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud three weeks ago and he is taken to win at the top level for the seventh time.
Masquerade Ball pushed him very close in the Japan Cup last November, while Irish Derby winner Benvenuto Cellini is Ryan Moore’s mount of Aidan O’Brien’s four runners, but the main threat to the selection could come from another Ballydoyle contender in Minnie Hauk.
She ran a fine race when second in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes here at the royal meeting and could benefit from the step back up to 1m4f. Masquerade Ball is third choice.
Jky: Mickael Barzalona Tnr: F-H Graffard
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Who will win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes based on previous trends?
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