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Calandagan will attempt to defend his King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes crown when some of Europe and Asia’s strongest middle-distance horses meet at Ascot on Saturday.
The French-trained five-year-old produced a powerful late finish to defeat Kalpana in this race 12 months ago. He returns as the horse to beat after recovering from a disappointing Coronation Cup performance with another Group One victory in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.
However, this does not look like a straightforward title defence.
Irish Derby winner Benvenuto Cellini receives a significant weight allowance as a three-year-old, while Japan sends the highly rated Masquerade Ball and Wurttemberg. Former winner Goliath, 2025 runner-up Kalpana and Coronation Cup winner Bay City Roller further strengthen an international field.
The final declarations will take place on Thursday, 23 July, so the confirmed runners, jockey bookings and odds may still change.
Readers can follow further previews and results through the World in Sport Horse Racing section and the wider Sports News hub.
When is the 2026 King George?
The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes takes place at Ascot on Saturday, 25 July 2026.
The Group One contest is scheduled for 3.35pm and is run over one mile, three furlongs and 211 yards, effectively a mile and a half.
It is open to horses aged three and older and uses weight-for-age conditions. That system allows the younger runners to carry less weight because they have not yet reached full physical maturity.
Benvenuto Cellini and Action are currently set to carry 8st 12lb as three-year-olds. Older male runners, including Calandagan and Goliath, carry 9st 9lb. Kalpana and Minnie Hauk receive the allowance for fillies and mares and carry 9st 6lb.
Ascot has increased the total value of the race to £2 million, approximately $2.69 million, making it Britain’s richest race. The winning connections are set to receive £1,134,200.
Further race-day information is available through the official King George Weekend page.
Latest King George 2026 runners and odds
Ten horses remained in contention following the latest confirmation stage.
The prices below were available on 21 July and should be treated as provisional.
| Runner | Trainer | Latest odds | Key claim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calandagan | Francis-Henri Graffard | 13/8 | Defending champion and leading-rated runner |
| Benvenuto Cellini | Aidan O’Brien | 3/1 | Irish Derby winner with a three-year-old weight allowance |
| Masquerade Ball | Takahisa Tezuka | 4/1 | Highly rated Japanese challenger |
| Minnie Hauk | Aidan O’Brien | 7/1 | Group One-class filly with proven stamina |
| Kalpana | Andrew Balding | 8/1 | Runner-up in the 2025 King George |
| Goliath | Francis-Henri Graffard | 9/1 | Won the race in 2024 |
| Bay City Roller | George Scott | 33/1 | Produced a career-best performance in the Coronation Cup |
| Wurttemberg | Hiroshi Miyamoto | 50/1 | Japanese runner with Oisin Murphy booked |
| Lambourn | Aidan O’Brien | 100/1 | Could help provide an honest early pace |
| Action | Aidan O’Brien | 150/1 | Another possible pace influence for Ballydoyle |
The latest prices can be checked through the King George betting market. Odds can move quickly before declarations and are not a guarantee of starting prices.
Calandagan remains the standard
Calandagan arrives with the strongest form and the highest official rating in the provisional field.
Francis-Henri Graffard’s gelding ended 2025 as one of the world’s leading racehorses after winning the King George and Japan Cup. He also showed that he could overcome different pace scenarios, race positions and ground conditions.
His 2026 campaign briefly raised doubts when he finished well behind Bay City Roller in the Coronation Cup at Epsom. Heavy rain and Epsom’s unusual contours did not help, but the scale of the defeat still left him needing to respond.
He did exactly that at Saint-Cloud.
Calandagan came from the rear to secure his second successive Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, recording a sixth Group One victory and confirming that the Epsom run was an exception rather than the start of a decline.
Ascot should again suit his long stride and powerful finishing speed. The main tactical concern is whether the race develops strongly enough for him to use that stamina.
Benvenuto Cellini brings the Classic challenge
Benvenuto Cellini has emerged as the main threat in the betting following his Irish Derby victory.
His Epsom Derby ended before it properly began. A problem in the starting stalls prevented him from leaving on equal terms, and the stewards subsequently declared him a non-runner.
Aidan O’Brien sent him to the Curragh three weeks later, where he defeated Epsom winner Christmas Day and completed a Ballydoyle one-two-three in the Irish Derby.
That victory confirmed his stamina over a mile and a half. It also suggested that he possesses the tactical pace required to compete with the older horses.
The weight-for-age allowance strengthens his case. Benvenuto Cellini receives 11lb from Calandagan, Goliath and the other older male runners.
He must still improve on his Irish Derby performance to beat a peak Calandagan. However, three-year-olds can progress quickly during this part of the season, and the market support reflects the possibility that his best form is still ahead of him.
Masquerade Ball adds Japanese strength
Masquerade Ball gives the race another significant international dimension.
Takahisa Tezuka’s four-year-old holds an official rating of 128, placing him close to Calandagan on the figures and above most of the European challengers.
Travelling from Japan to Britain presents a different test. Masquerade Ball must adapt to Ascot’s uphill finish, right-handed layout and the possibility of fast summer ground.
Nevertheless, Japan’s leading middle-distance horses have repeatedly shown that they can compete at the highest level abroad. Masquerade Ball is not travelling merely to make up the numbers.
A strong pace would give him an opportunity to settle before making his challenge in the straight. A slow, tactical race could place greater pressure on his positioning and acceleration.
Kalpana returns to her favourite course
Kalpana came closer than any horse to denying Calandagan at Ascot last year.
Andrew Balding’s mare travelled smoothly and took the lead before Calandagan wore her down inside the closing stages. She lost by a length but finished clear of the remaining runners.
Her record at Ascot remains a major strength. She has won twice at Group One level on British Champions Day and rarely produces a poor performance at the course.
Kalpana returned with a victory at Newbury before finishing second to Giavellotto in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. That defeat did little to weaken her King George claims, particularly as she again showed that the course and distance suit her.
Balding has also indicated that she can handle different types of ground, although some rain could improve her chance against rivals who prefer a faster surface.
Fans looking for more background on the venue can read the World in Sport Royal Ascot 2026 guide.
Goliath and Bay City Roller cannot be ignored
Goliath already knows what it takes to win this race.
The six-year-old caused a 25/1 surprise when defeating a strong field in 2024 and now shares a stable with Calandagan. He remains capable of producing elite form, even though his more recent performances have lacked the consistency of his stablemate.
His third-place finish in the Hardwicke Stakes provided a useful preparation. He must improve on that display, but a return to his 2024 Ascot level would put him in the argument.
Bay City Roller is one of the most difficult runners to assess.
George Scott’s four-year-old produced an outstanding performance to win the Coronation Cup, leaving Calandagan well behind on rain-softened ground. He has also shown enough speed and stamina to suggest that his Epsom victory was more than a one-off.
The concern is the likely surface. His strongest form has come with some ease in the ground, while the current outlook points towards a quicker Ascot track.
Ballydoyle hold several tactical options
Aidan O’Brien could have four runners, with Benvenuto Cellini joined by Minnie Hauk, Lambourn and Action.
Minnie Hauk is the shortest-priced of the supporting team. Her ability is not in doubt, although her final destination remains important because she also holds other major options later in the summer.
Lambourn and Action appear to face a significant task on official ratings. Their presence could still shape the contest by ensuring a consistent pace for Benvenuto Cellini.
An honest gallop would reduce the chance of the race becoming a short sprint from the final bend. It would also test whether the younger Irish Derby winner can sustain his effort against hardened older horses.
How could the ground affect the race?
Ascot currently lists good-to-firm ground, although conditions can change before Saturday.
The forecast points towards a warm and mainly dry afternoon, with any showers more likely to arrive later in the evening. That would favour horses comfortable on a sound surface.
Calandagan has shown that he can quicken on fast ground, while Masquerade Ball should also appreciate a firm, consistent track.
Kalpana remains versatile, but additional rain would strengthen her prospects. Softer conditions would also make Bay City Roller more interesting after his dominant Coronation Cup victory.
New readers can find explanations of going descriptions, racecards, weights and betting terms in the World in Sport guide to how horse racing rules work.
King George 2026 verdict
Calandagan sets a demanding standard on form, ratings and course experience.
His performance at Saint-Cloud showed that he retains the finishing power that carried him past Kalpana last year. Ascot suits him better than Epsom, and a field containing several Ballydoyle runners should produce enough pace for Mickael Barzalona to settle him before launching a late challenge.
Benvenuto Cellini is the obvious danger. His Irish Derby victory, age allowance and scope for further improvement give him a genuine chance of becoming the first three-year-old winner since Adayar in 2021.
However, he must take another step forward against a defending champion who has repeatedly delivered at the highest level.
Kalpana looks capable of reaching the frame again, while Masquerade Ball could prove the most dangerous international challenger if he adapts quickly to Ascot.
World in Sport verdict: Calandagan to defeat Benvenuto Cellini, with Kalpana completing the first three.
The final field and riding arrangements will become clearer after declarations on Thursday. Until then, Calandagan remains the proven champion that every challenger must pass.
