First run as the Festival Of Britain Stakes in 1951, the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes has developed into one of the biggest highlights of the Flat racing season.
The prestigious Group 1 contest is staged at Ascot Racecourse and will be run this year at 15:35 on Saturday, July 25.
The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes now carries £ 2 million in prize money, with that figure set to rise to £ 2.5 million in 2027.
The most successful horse in the history of the race is Enable, who won the King George three times in 2017, 2019 and 2020 for trainer John Gosden, jockey Frankie Dettori and owner Prince Khalid Abdullah.
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King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Records
With seven victories apiece, the race’s most successful jockeys are Frankie Dettori and Lester Piggott.
Dettori’s seven wins include Enable’s famous hat-trick, while Piggott’s 1970 success aboard Nijinsky remains one of the most memorable performances in King George history.
Nijinsky, who also won the 1970 Epsom Derby, was a three-year-old when he landed the King George. Between 1970 and 1995, three-year-olds won the race 18 times from 26 renewals.
However, the trend has changed significantly in recent decades, with three-year-olds winning just six times between 1996 and 2025 (30 renewals).
The most successful trainer in King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes history is now-retired Sir Michael Stoute, who has won the race six times.
Aidan O’Brien has won the race four times with Galileo (2001), Dylan Thomas (2007), Duke Of Marmalade (2008), and Highland Reel (2016). O’Brien is set to be represented again on Saturday by Irish Derby scorer Benvenuto Cellini, last season’s dual Derby hero Lambourn, and superstar filly Minnie Hauk.
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2026 Runners and Riders
1 – Bay City Roller
Trainer: George Scott | Official Rating: 124
2 – Calandagan
Trainer: Francis-Henri Graffard | Official Rating: 130
The defending champion returns following a narrow victory in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on July 5th.
A winner of six Group 1 races, Calandagan’s trainer Francis-Henri Graffard will bid to become the first trainer since Saeed Bin Suroor (1997-99) to win the King George three years in a row.
Noel Murless also achieved the feat between 1966 and 1968.
3 – Goliath
Trainer: Francis-Henri Graffard | Official Rating: 119
The 2024 winner has won just four of his 12 starts since landing this race and, now a six-year-old, others appear stronger contenders.
4 – Lambourn
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien | Official Rating: 113
Last season’s Epsom Derby and Irish Derby winner beat Bay City Roller by a neck on his seasonal return but finished 6.5 lengths behind Calandagan in France last time out and does not appear quite as strong this season.
5 – Masquerade Ball
Trainer: Takahisa Tezuka | Official Rating: 128
Masquerade Ball was beaten just a head by Calandagan in a thrilling finish to last season’s Japan Cup and it is great to see him return in a bid to gain revenge.
6 – Wurttemberg
Trainer: Hiroshi Miyamoto
A second possible Japanese challenger, although Masquerade Ball looks the stronger contender. He is yet to win at Group level.
7 – Kalpana
Trainer: Andrew Balding | Official Rating: 120
A dual Group 1 winner over course and distance, Kalpana was beaten just a length by Calandagan in last year’s King George.
She finished only a short head behind Giavellotto in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out.
Goliath was 1.75 lengths behind the pair in third that day, although his jockey’s right foot slipped out of the stirrup inside the final furlong.
Giavellotto finished 4.25 lengths behind Calandagan in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in March, while he finished half-a-length ahead of Goliath when they finished second and third in the Hong Kong Vase last December.
8 – Minnie Hauk
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien | Official Rating: 123
Last season’s Epsom Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks winner found only the 128-rated Ombudsman too good in the 10-furlong Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out.
The return to 12 furlongs should suit.
9 – Action
10 – Benvenuto Cellini
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien | Official Rating: 119
The Irish Derby winner was previously declared a non-runner in the Epsom Derby despite completing the course, having impressed when winning the Chester Vase on his seasonal return.
He remains a highly promising colt, and this race should reveal more about his potential at the highest level.
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2026 Verdict
With Calandagan, Masquerade Ball, Kalpana, Minnie Hauk and Benvenuto Cellini (13 Group or Grade 1 wins between them) all set to line up, the 2026 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes promises to be an excellent renewal of this prestigious race.
Receiving 11 pounds from the older horses, Benvenuto Cellini gets the vote.
Selection: Benvenuto Cellini
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2026 FAQs
When is the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2026?
The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2026 will take place at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday, July 25, with the race scheduled for 15:35.
Where is the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes run?
The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes is held at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire and is one of the highlights of the British Flat racing season.
How far is the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes?
The race is run over 1m4f. 1m3f211y to be precise.
Who is the most successful horse in King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes history?
Enable is the most successful horse in King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes history, winning the race three times in 2017, 2019 and 2020.
She won the race for trainer John Gosden, jockey Frankie Dettori and owner Prince Khalid Abdullah.
Who has won the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes most times as a jockey?
Frankie Dettori and Lester Piggott are the most successful jockeys in King George history, with both riders having won the race seven times.
Dettori’s victories included Enable’s three wins, while Piggott’s famous 1970 success aboard Nijinsky remains one of the race’s iconic moments.
Who is the most successful trainer in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes?
The most successful trainer in the history of the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes is Sir Michael Stoute, who won the race six times.
How much prize money is on offer in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes?
The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes currently carries £ 2 million in prize money, with the purse set to increase to £ 2.5 million in 2027.
Who won the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2025?
Calandagan won the 2025 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard.
The victory followed Goliath’s success in 2024, meaning Graffard-trained horses have won the last two renewals of the race.
Which horses are running in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2026?
The confirmed runners for the 2026 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes include Calandagan, Goliath, Lambourn, Masquerade Ball, Kalpana, Minnie Hauk and Benvenuto Cellini, among others.
