King George Betting Odds 

One of the most important races of the entire flat season, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is the first all age 1m4f Group 1 on the calendar. It acts as a midseason precursor to the European Pattern’s concluding showpiece, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and 2026 is set to be another historic and pulsating renewal.

King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Odds

Runners

Bay City Roller

T: George Scott

Calandagan

J: Mickael Barzalona

T: F H Graffard

Goliath

J: Christophe Soumillon

T: F H Graffard

Lambourn

T: A P O'Brien

Masquerade Ball

T: Takahisa Tezuka

Wurttemberg

T: Hiroshi Miyamoto

Kalpana

J: Colin Keane

T: Andrew Balding

Minnie Hauk

T: A P O'Brien

Action

T: A P O'Brien

Benvenuto Cellini

T: A P O'Brien

Who are This Year’s King George Favourites?

British hopes go up against a substantial international challenge in the 2026 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Calandagan is back to defend his title after his impressive success last year. Masquerade Ball may also run for Japan, having been denied so narrowly by Calandagan in the Japan Cup. For Ireland and Aidan O’Brien, Irish Derby hero Benevenuto Cellini could step up against his elders too.

Who are This Year’s King George Underdogs?

Last year’s runner-up Kalpana has regularly run well at a high level. She has two Group 1s at Ascot to her name, while Bay City Roller could ensure the hosts serve it up to the strong away challenge. Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up Minnie Hauk adds further depth to a good renewal.

Last Year’s King George Odds

French runner Calandagan was the 11/10 favourite when storming to success round Swinley Bottom last season. He returns for the 2026 renewal.

Betting Strategies for the King George

The King George can be betted on in several different ways depending on whether you prefer high stakes or just a bit of weekend fun. Below are some of the methods and factors to look out for when betting on the big race.

Outright Winner

The winner of the King George is what all punters will be looking for. Most will stick to this market, where you simply place a bet of your chosen value on your horse to be first past the post.

Each Way

The King George boasted a double-figure field last year, ensuring that each-way betting amounted to three or even four places with some firms. If there is  an underdog or outsider you fancy to go close in the King George, you can back them each-way for a profit if they finish just outside of the winning position.

Draw Biases

With Ascot’s tight turns, it can sometimes pay to have a convenient draw. Form the 1m4f start, it can be beneficial to be drawn on the inside unless the ground is tacky, in which case a wider draw from which to race across from can be a bonus.

Trends

Looking at the trends in terms of age, starting price, trainer/jockey combinations and more can give you an edge over the bookies when it comes to betting on this race. Dave Young, our trends man, will preview all of the key statistics well ahead of time to narrow down the field for you.

King George Odds of Past 10 Winners

Between 2016 and 2020, four out of five favourites were successful in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. The only horse who didn’t, Poet’s Word, was a 7/4 shot, so every winner went off at a very short price. However, Calandagan was the first winning favourite for five years when successful in 2025.