July 26 / 16.10 Ascot

16.10

Good

King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Group 1)

  • Prize money: £850650
  • 1m 3f 211y
  • Class 1
  • 5 runners
ITV
View Course
King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Group 1)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

Form: 22-221 CD

Last run: 27 days

W: 9st 9lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 125

Form & Verdict
High-class French gelding who acts on any ground; arguably outbattled by Jan Brueghel in the Coronation Cup but went down by only half a length and subsequently stretched out well in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, taking his record since racing at Group 1 level to 22221 and overall strike-rate to 5-11; impressive in last year's King Edward VII Stakes in sole C&D attempt; holds rock-solid and leading claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

2

(2)

6th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

1m 4f 6y

Class 1

14:40 Epsom

Calandagan

9st 2lb

J: Mickael Barzalona

T: F-H Graffard

Superstar gelding who has a record of 222211111 since racing at Group 1 level and is the highest-rated racehorse in the world; couldn't quite get past Jan Brueghel in this race last year but turned the tables in the King George and is on an impressive roll going into another rematch with that rival; prevailed at Meydan (Sheema Classic) last time despite the race not panning out ideally; duly strongly respected, assuming the ground is okay (not certain to run if it's a slog scenario).

10/11

1st

2

(7)

18th Oct 2025

Good

1m 1f 212y

Class 1

16:05 Ascot

Calandagan

9st 7lb

J: Mickael Barzalona

T: F-H Graffard

French gelding who has a record of 222211 since upped to Group 1 level, latest win coming in the King George at Ascot (1m4f, good); went down by only half a length when favourite for this race 12 months ago (soft) on last 1m2f attempt; major contender, especially if getting a strong pace to aim at.

5/2

OUR TIP

Form: 395948 D

Last run: 38 days

W: 9st 9lb

5 yo Colt

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Won the St Leger and fifth in the Arc in 2023 but has failed to repeat the form since and is reduced to pacemaking duties these days; as in the Coronation Cup two starts ago, looks set to cut out the fractions for stablemate Jan Brueghel before eventually being swallowed up.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2

(3)

26th Jul 2025

Good

1m 3f 211y

Class 1

16:10 Ascot

Continuous

9st 9lb

J: Wayne Lordan

T: A P O’Brien

Won the St Leger and fifth in the Arc in 2023 but has failed to repeat the form since and is reduced to pacemaking duties these days; as in the Coronation Cup two starts ago, looks set to cut out the fractions for stablemate Jan Brueghel before eventually being swallowed up.

125/1

8th

3

(7)

18th Jun 2025

Good To Firm

1m 1f 212y

Class 1

16:20 Ascot

Continuous

9st 2lb

J: Wayne Lordan

T: A P O’Brien

2023 was his heyday, when winning the St Leger and fifth in the Arc; career has taken some disappointing turns since last autumn and he could be set for a front-running role at a big price today, as on his last two starts.

100/1

4

(4)

6th Jun 2025

Good To Soft

1m 4f 6y

Class 1

14:40 Epsom

Continuous

9st 2lb

J: Wayne Lordan

T: A P O’Brien

Ended his 2023 campaign with a success in the St Leger and good effort in the Arc; modest strike-rate since and has become inconsistent too; possibly in here as pacemaker for stablemate Jan Brueghel.

66/1

Form: 111-21 D

Last run: 50 days

W: 9st 9lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 126

Form & Verdict
Ballydoyle colt and son of 2001 King George winner Galileo; record suggests he won't mind what the weather does; sometimes sweats, including in both starts this term, and looked a difficult ride on reappearance; bounced back in the Coronation Cup at Epsom where he knuckled down well to beat Calandagan, taking form figures to 111121 and Group 1 score to 2-2 (gained the other win in last year's St Leger); has very progressive RPRs in the main; highly respected, assuming he takes well to first-time headgear.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

6

(3)

20th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

1m 3f 211y

Class 1

15:05 Ascot

Jan Brueghel

9st 3lb

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O’Brien

Dual Group 1 winner who has a record of 6-9 overall and had a mitigating factor (set an unsuitably steady pace) in his 2025 King George defeat in sole C&D attempt; played a distant second fiddle last time when bidding for a Coronation Cup double at Epsom but nothing behind the winner showed their form in the rain-soaked conditions; the peak form he showed when beating Calandagan 12 months earlier gives him a big chance in this field.

9/2

2nd

5

(1)

6th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

1m 4f 6y

Class 1

14:40 Epsom

Jan Brueghel

9st 2lb

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O’Brien

High-class performer who has a record of 6-8 overall and 2-3 at Group 1 level, adding to his 2024 St Leger win when knuckling down the better to beat Calandagan in this contest (good to soft) 12 months ago; combination of cheekpieces and setting an unsuitably steady pace perhaps contributed to his King George defeat behind that rival; reappearance success in the Ormonde at Chester (1m5f, good) sets him up nicely for another Coronation Cup bid.

11/4

Form: 1-1411 CD

Last run: 35 days

W: 9st 9lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 123

Form & Verdict
Glorious globetrotter whose Group/Grade 1 record is 7-11 and overall strike-rate is 18-26; has done his winning at a lower level this year, mostly recently in the Hardwicke (Group 2) at Royal Ascot; thoroughly admirable and had an excuse (raced closer to the strong pace than ideal) when about 5l third in this race 12 months ago but he's a 7yo now and no horse older than six has won the King George.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

1

(1)

9th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

1m 4f 0y

Class 1

15:35 Newmarket (July)

Rebels Romance

9st 11lb

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

Tremendous international performer who has won 21 of 31 races, amassing more than £12m in prize-money; two of last year's winning highlights were over 1m4f on fast ground at Royal Ascot and in the USA, and he was an odds-on scorer at Meydan in February on his only start this term; highly reliable too, so he looks hard to beat despite conceding 3lb all round.

Evs

4

(1)

26th Jul 2025

Good

1m 3f 211y

Class 1

16:10 Ascot

Rebels Romance

9st 9lb

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

Glorious globetrotter whose Group/Grade 1 record is 7-11 and overall strike-rate is 18-26; has done his winning at a lower level this year, mostly recently in the Hardwicke (Group 2) at Royal Ascot; thoroughly admirable and had an excuse (raced closer to the strong pace than ideal) when about 5l third in this race 12 months ago but he's a 7yo now and no horse older than six has won the King George.

9/2

1st

9

(11)

21st Jun 2025

Good To Firm

1m 3f 211y

Class 1

15:05 Ascot

Rebels Romance

9st 3lb

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

Globetrotter who won 1m4f Group/Grade 1 races in Dubai, Hong Kong, Germany and the US last year; not at his very best when beating Epic Poet by a head in the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup at York (good to firm) last month but that was 1m6f and he was conceding 5lb to the winner (level weights today); leading contender if at the top of his game now back down to 1m4f.

5/2

Form: 111-32 CD BF

Last run: 28 days

W: 9st 6lb

4 yo Filly

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Juddmonte filly who is a solid operator and has form figures of 12123111 in British races, most recently landing a Group 1 prize against her own sex at Ascot (11.5f, soft, inner course) on Champions Day last October; creditable placed efforts in a couple of top-level Curragh contests at about 1m2f on good ground this term; could well resume her progress back up in distance, being 3-4 over 1m3f-1m4f, and returned to this venue; receives 3lb allowance and remains of strong interest.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

11

(2)

20th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

1m 3f 211y

Class 1

15:05 Ascot

Kalpana

9st 0lb

J: Colin Keane

T: Andrew Balding

Very smart mare who defied a penalty in Group 3 at Newbury (1m4f; beat West Wind Blows by a neck) on seasonal debut, taking record since wearing cheekpieces to 2-3 and running right up to her best; strong record at Ascot features wins in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes for the last two years (soft/good) and an excellent second in the 2025 King George; avoids a Group 1 penalty in this race and has a major chance at the weights.

9/4

1st

1

(2)

16th May 2026

Good

1m 4f 0y

Class 1

13:25 Newbury

Kalpana

9st 6lb

J: Colin Keane

T: Andrew Balding

Had excellent campaigns in 2024 and 2025, both of which ended with Group 1 success in good style against her own sex on Champions Day at Ascot; she also started last season with a big run in an Irish Group 1 and was an excellent second in the King George at Ascot in July; wore cheekpieces last two starts; concedes 4lb to male rivals today but probably still the one to beat.

10/11

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £7.70
Straight Forecast £9.24
Trifecta £15.00

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Calandagan

SPOTLIGHT:

Kalpana

TOPSPEED:

Jan Brueghel

NEWMARKET:

Rebel's Romance

LAMBOURN:

Kalpana

Daily Record:

Kalpana

POSTDATA:

Calandagan

The Times:

Calandagan

Telegraph:

Calandagan

Daily Mail:

Calandagan

The Sun:

Calandagan

Daily Mirror:

Jan Brueghel

The Star:

Jan Brueghel

The Guardian:

Rebel's Romance

D Express:

Rebel's Romance