Summer racing doesn’t get any bigger, bolder, or more star-studded than this. Ascot takes center stage on Saturday, July 25th, for a £2 million renewal of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes that reads like a clash of global racing royalty.
And all eyes are firmly on Francis Graffard’s French powerhouse Calandagan.
Having conquered this very turf in magnificent style last summer, the reigning King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes champion returns to Berkshire with a historic target on his back as Graffard bids for a mind-boggling third consecutive victory in Britain’s premier middle-distance showpiece.
Standing directly in the path of a Chantilly dynasty, however, is a formidable three-year-old challenge from Ballydoyle.
Aidan O’Brien-already a four-time King George winner-hunts a fifth title with Benvenuto Cellini.
Fresh off a brilliant redemption victory in the Irish Derby, the star colt gets a crucial weight-for-age pull against his older rivals. It’s the ultimate generation game, and the stage is set for an absolute midsummer epic.
Andy Newton gives you his Ascot King George tips and 1-2-3 best bets
Andy Newton’s King George Tips: 1-2-3 Best Bets
🥇CALANDAGAN
🥈Masquerade Ball
🥉Benvenuto Cellini
Calandagan To Have Too Much Class For King George Youngster Benvenuto Cellini
Only two trainers in the history of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes have won the race three years on the bounce. But I think we’ll be seeing another on Saturday.
Yes, Saeed Bin Suroor and Noel Murless are the only handlers to land a famous King George treble in as many seasons, and French trainer Francis Graffard is poised to join them.
Graffard has fired in the last two winners of the £1m Group One with Goliath in 2024 and 12 months ago with the classy CALANDAGAN.
Both line-up again, as Goliath will be looking to win back his title. The last horse to do that was Enable in 2019, but the 2024 hero is still rated a massive 11lbs inferior to his stablemate.
Yes, Calandagan flopped at Epsom in the Coronation Cup, but Graffard has since held his hands up and said he probably shouldn’t have run in the deep ground.
“I was upset with myself after Epsom. Today I thought Calandagan was sweating a little bit too much and I could see he was a little bit worried, so I was worried too. At the end of the orders, I said to Mickael [Barzalona], ‘Forget everything we said. Just ride him for himself. It doesn’t matter if he’s beaten, he just needs to get his confidence back.” Francis Graffard
That was proved right as back on his preferred quicker ground at Saint-Cloud Calandagan bounced back to win the Grand Prix Saint-Cloud.
WATCH: Calandagan Winning At Saint-Cloud Earlier In July
So, if you take out that Epsom run, the 5yold has won his last six, including beating Kalpana, who also goes again on Saturday, by a length in the King George last season.
He’ll get his favoured fast ground on Saturday will head to the Berkshire track 1-2-1-1 – meaning it’s hard to find holes in his case.
Rated 130 and clear of the next best Masquerade Bell (128), Calandagan is the call to have too much class again and cement his name in the King George record books as a two-time winner.
Benvenuto Cellini The New Kid On The Block
Against Calandagan will be the recent Irish Derby winner Benvenuto Cellini for Aidan O’Brien – who is hunting a fifth Ascot King George win.
I won’t go into the much-talked about Epsom Derby non-runner shenanigans, but he showed his a classy sort to bounce back to win the Irish Derby next time (watch below).
Being aged 3, Benvenuto Cellini will also get the handy 11lbs age allowance and being rated 119 – this puts him bang on the mark of Calandagan (130).
However, despite clearly being one of the best Ballydoyle horses this season, there are still a number of unknowns/negatives for me.
Firstly, the form of the O’Brien yard has been a bit quiet in recent weeks. While next up is the fact Cellini has only had six career runs- opposed to Caladagan’s 17.
Oh, and the last 3yold to win the race for former Epsom Derby hero Adayar in 2021 – meaning the older horses have held sway in recent times.
While, finally, O’Brien’s horse is yet to run at Ascot, which isn’t a major worry. However, when he’s taken on a horse who is 3-4 at the royal track, that proven experience is a big plus for me.
WATCH: Benvenuto Cellini Winning the Irish Derby
Japanese Raider Masquerade Ball Can Give Calandagan Most To Think About
Full marks to the Japanese runners Masquerade Ball and Wurttemberg for making the trip over to Ascot.
Oisin Murphy rides the former and will have it to do.
But the Takahisa Tezuka-trained Masquerade Ball is certainly not without a chance.
This 128-rated colt, who is related to Japanese star Deep Impact, was only beaten a head by Calandagan at Tokyo in the Japan Cup back in November (watch below).
He’s won four of this nine starts and is yet to finish out of the top three.
Those against him will look to the fact this will be his first race outside Japan and then, of course, at Ascot. But he’s shown a high level of form and should be bang-there again.
Andy Newton’s King George Tips: 1-2-3 Best Bets
🥇CALANDAGAN
🥈Masquerade Ball
🥉Benvenuto Cellini
King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes Runners 2026
- Calandagan (Francis Graffard)
- Bay City Roller (George Scott)
- Goliath (Francis Graffard)
- Masquerade Ball (Takahisa Tezuka)
- Wurttemberg (Hiroshi Miyamoto)
- Kalpana (Andrew Balding)
- Lambourn (Aidan O’Brien)
- Minnie Hauk (Aidan O’Brien)
- Action (Aidan O’Brien)
- Benvenuto Cellini (Aidan O’Brien)
King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Race Information 2026
📅 Date: Saturday 25th June 2026
⌚ Time: 3:35pm
🏇 Racecourse: Ascot
🔄 Trip: 1m4f
💷 Winner: £1,134,200
📺 TV: ITV Racing / Sky Sports
