From 33 initial entries, 11 confirmations have been made for the 2024 running of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot. The 1m4f Group 1 is the feature race on Saturday 27th July, and is a race very often akin to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe later in the season.
2023 Epsom Derby winner Auguste Rodin is the favourite at a best price of 5/4 just days out from the race. He got back to winning ways for the first time this season when outlasting his rivals in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at this venue at the royal meeting, but flopped badly when heading the market for this race a year ago.
Second in is Godolphin runner Rebel’s Romance. The six-year-old has been more of a slow burner for Charlie Appleby, but has a remarkable strike rate of 13 wins from 19 starts, including all five in the UK. However, his five Group 1 wins have all come abroad, two in Germany, one in the USA, one in Dubai and one in Hong Kong, with the last two arriving on his most recent starts. He is available at 9/2.
Bluestocking is the only filly in the field at this five-day stage. She claimed a first top level success when scoring in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh at the end of last month, and the daughter of Camelot looks to improve into open company here at 5/1. Meanwhile, Coronation Cup winner Luxembourg may be the able deputy for Auguste Rodin’s trainer Aidan O’Brien. He has won Group 1s at every age between two and five, including that Epsom victory last time out, which was also a first at this distance of 1m4f. He is available at 10/1.
He will need to improve from his return when disappointing in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes as favourite here, while the last O’Brien stablemate is the now perennial pacemaker Hans Andersen at 100/1.
The only three-year-old in the race is David Menuisier’s Sunway, who improved on this season’s previous efforts to be runner-up in the Irish Derby latest. He looks to have found his optimum trip and can be backed at 10/1, while Dubai Honour also won his last race, the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, his first over 1m4f. 14/1 is the price for him.
There is a potential raider from France in the shape of Goliath (20/1), second in the aforementioned Hardwicke Stakes, while the Gosdens, who have enjoyed four wins in this race in the last decade, could saddle Middle Earth (10/1).
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes Odds
| Horse | Trainer | Best Odds |
| Auguste Rodin | Aidan O’Brien | 5/4 |
| Rebel’s Romance | Charlie Appleby | 9/2 |
| Bluestocking | Ralph Beckett | 5/1 |
| Luxembourg | Aidan O’Brien | 10/1 |
| Middle Earth | Aidan O’Brien | 10/1 |
| Sunway | David Menuisier | 10/1 |
| BAR 14/1 |