Before diving into the key contenders for the 2025 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, it’s essential to take a look at what history tells us. By studying the last 20 winners of this iconic Group 1 at Ascot, we can uncover useful betting angles and performance patterns.
Looking for broader insights across the flat season? Don’t miss our article on the 10 Flat Racing Betting Trends You Need to Know in 2025, where we break down recurring patterns, trainer form cycles, and market biases that continue to shape this year’s biggest races.
What kind of horse wins the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes? (Stats 2005–2024)
The King George, run over 1m4f (2,400 metres) at Ascot, brings together Europe’s top middle-distance horses. But what type of runner tends to succeed? Let’s break it down by age, sex, trainers, bloodlines, weight carried, and draw bias.
🧮 Age trends among King George winners
| Age | No. of winners | Recent examples |
|---|---|---|
| 3yo | 4 | Adayar (2021), Enable (2017), Taghrooda (2014), Nathaniel (2011) |
| 4yo | 10 | Goliath (2024), Novellist (2013), Highland Reel (2016), Postponed (2015) |
| 5yo | 3 | Pyledriver (2022), Poet’s Word (2018), Enable (2019) |
| 6yo | 3 | Enable (2020), Hukum (2023), Danedream (2012) |
➡️ Clear trend: 4-year-olds dominate this race historically.
🚹 Gender bias: Colts vs. Fillies
| Sex | Wins | Notable examples |
|---|---|---|
| Colts/Geldings | 15 | Hukum, Pyledriver, Novellist, Harbinger |
| Fillies/Mares | 5 | Enable (×3), Taghrooda, Danedream |
➡️ While some brilliant fillies have won, males are more dominant overall.
🎯 Top trainers in the King George Stakes
| Trainer | Wins | Winning horses |
|---|---|---|
| John Gosden | 4 | Enable (×3), Nathaniel, Taghrooda |
| Sir Michael Stoute | 3 | Harbinger, Conduit, Poet’s Word |
| Aidan O’Brien | 3 | Highland Reel, Dylan Thomas, Duke of Marmalade |
➡️ Horses trained by Gosden, Stoute, or O’Brien deserve serious respect in this race.
🧬 Bloodlines that dominate at Ascot 1m4f
| Sire or grandsire | Influence among winners |
|---|---|
| Sadler’s Wells | Grandsire/sire of 5+ winners |
| Galileo | Sire of 3 winners |
| Sea The Stars | Sire of Hukum (2023) & Taghrooda (2014) |
| Nathaniel | Sire of Enable (×3 wins) |
➡️ Sadler’s Wells and Galileo bloodlines remain dominant over 1m4f.
⚖️ Weight carried: WFA impact in Group 1s
| Age group | Typical weight (kg) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3yo | 54.0 – 55.5 kg | Weight-for-age allowance applies |
| 4yo+ | 60.5 – 61.0 kg | Full weight in open-age Group 1s |
➡️ Even with the allowance, 3-year-olds have only won 4 of 20. Class and maturity matter more.
If you’re interested in how weight, ratings and value interact in British flat racing, especially in handicap scenarios, make sure to read our in-depth guide: Understanding Handicap Races & Betting Value. While the King George is a weight-for-age Group 1, many of the same principles apply when assessing risk, value, and market positioning.
📍 Does the draw matter in the King George Stakes?
No major draw bias has been detected over 1m4f at Ascot. Winners have come from low, middle, and high stalls, including as wide as stall 12 (Azamour in 2005).
➡️ The draw is not a decisive factor in the King George.
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2025: runner-by-runner preview & odds
Now that we’ve identified what kind of horses typically win the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, it’s time to evaluate the 2025 field based on official ratings, recent form, age, weight, and odds. With good ground forecasted at Ascot, tactical speed and proven stamina will be key.
Let’s break down each contender:
🏇 Calandagan (4yo, F-H Graffard / M. Barzalona)
- Odds: 7/4
- Form: 22-221
- OR: 125 | TS: 121 | RPR: 132
- Weight: 9-9 (60kg)
- Track/Distance: Course & distance winner (CD)
The French-trained colt comes here after a string of consistent performances, and his latest RPR of 132 tops the field. He fits the classic 4yo profile that dominates this race and benefits from international experience.
➡️ Solid favourite with leading credentials.
🏇 Jan Brueghel (4yo, A. P. O’Brien / TBC)
- Odds: 15/8
- Form: 111-21
- OR: 126 | TS: 119 | RPR: 131
- Weight: 9-9
- Track/Distance: Proven over 1m4f
Lightly raced and progressing rapidly, this son of Galileo posted a huge TS of 126 last time out. Representing Ballydoyle, he ticks many of the historical boxes: 4yo, top OR, top stable.
➡️ Big danger to all—well positioned to peak here.
🏇 Kalpana (4yo filly, A. Balding / O. Murphy)
- Odds: 9/2
- Form: 111-32
- OR: 117 | TS: 114 | RPR: 126
- Weight: 9-6
- Track/Distance: CD winner
This filly brings a high level of consistency and class. She’s the only female in the race, which makes her task statistically harder, but her RPRs show she’s competitive at this level. Oisin Murphy is a plus.
➡️ Strong each-way chance, but history is against her.
🏇 Rebel’s Romance (7yo, C. Appleby / W. Buick)
- Odds: 9/2
- Form: 1-1411
- OR: 123 | TS: 120 | RPR: 128
- Weight: 9-9
- Track/Distance: CD winner
A globe-trotting veteran with G1 wins in Europe and the US. He may be 7, but he’s in excellent form and has already conquered Ascot. That said, no horse this old has won the race in modern times.
➡️ Classy, but age makes him vulnerable.
🏇 Continuous (5yo, A.P. O’Brien / TBC)
- Odds: 125/1
- Form: 395948
- OR: 110 | TS: 101 | RPR: 120
- Weight: 9-9
Once a top-level 3yo, but hasn’t fired in recent starts. The OR and TS figures are significantly below the leading group, and his odds reflect that.
➡️ Unlikely contender unless bouncing back dramatically.
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes: final verdict & historical profile match
Based on the winning trends from our earlier breakdown—especially age, OR, RPR and trainer form—Jan Brueghel and Calandagan stand out clearly as the two most profile-compliant contenders. Both are 4-year-old colts, trained by elite yards, and arrive with strong recent form and high-speed figures.
- Calandagan brings international flair and tops the RPR ratings.
- Jan Brueghel looks the most progressive on TS and form trajectory.
Kalpana and Rebel’s Romance offer alternatives with proven class, while Lambourn deserves respect as a Derby winner receiving weight. But historically, the King George favours maturity and proven open-age form.
As always, the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes serves as a mid-season benchmark for Europe’s best middle-distance horses. But if you’re more interested in the top stayers and longer-distance showdowns, make sure to check out our Goodwood Cup 2025 betting preview, where we break down another Group 1 clash with deep historical trends and value picks.
Horse racing tips Worcester – 3 Picks for July 24, 2025 –
[…] ahead to the weekend, don’t miss my full guide to the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot – one of the summer’s greatest […]