Only five runners will go to post for the 2025 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot at 4:10pm on Saturday afternoon. The Group 1 1m 3f 211y showpiece has attracted some world class middle-distance performers and we take a look at the quintet of runners and pick out our 1-2-3 for what should be an enthralling renewal.
1. Calandagan
A multiple Group winner, the French raider Calandagan stormed to victory in the King Edward VI Stakes at Royal Ascot last season, but has since failed to get his head in front on British soil since. Runner-up in both the Juddmonte International at York and in the Champion Stakes at Ascot, Francis-Henri Graffard’s charge failed to reel in Jan Brueghel in the Coronation Cup at Epsom back in June. Given plenty to do that day he ran a gallant race in defeat, but just failed to reel in the Aidan O’Brien-trained staying star. However, he bounced back to winning ways last time out on home ground as he won the Prix de Saint-Cloud, so he heads to Berkshire on top form.
2. Continuous
A former St Leger winner back in 2023, Aidan O’Brien’s Continuous has often been used as a pacemaker in recent times and it looks like he will have the same job for the 2025 King George. He’s not ventured into the winner’s enclosure since 2024 when he won the Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh, and has since often struggled to make the placings. Fourth in the abovementioned Coronation Cup, the five-year-old was last seen finishing eighth of eight in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, and with pacemaking duties likely again then he has to be an outsider.
3. Jan Brueghel
Five wins in six career starts has catapulted Jan Brueghel to the top table of the middle distance and staying ranks and the Ballydoyle raider, who was a fine winner of the St Leger last season at Doncaster will be eager to frank his recent form with Calandagan here. Showing tremendous battling qualities on the front end, the four-year-old son of Galileo managed to fend off a late surge from the French raider in the Coronation Cup to claim that Group 1 prize and he’s sure to be at the front of proceedings as they turn for home here. A real class act, the former Classic winner is well fancied to land more top class success and he’s the one to beat.
4. Rebel’s Romance
Charlie Appleby’s Rebel’s Romance continues to deliver the goods at the highest level and the Godolphin raider will attempt to claim King George glory at the wily old age of seven on Saturday and has to be given a huge chance. The globetrotting son of Dubawi has won some monstrous pots down the years and has been victorious in Dubai and the United States during his illustrious career and will now look to claim another notable British accolade. A winner of the Yorkshire Cup two starts ago, he was last seen bounding to victory in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, and he will now look to shine bright at Ascot once again. This is a big step up from that Group 2, but he’s a real battle-hardened performer and if it gets tough out front he’s certainly one to be up for the fight.
5. Kalpana
The sole filly in the race, Kalpana heads into this contest on the back of a defeat behind Oaks runner-up Whirl in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh. Andrew Balding’s four-year-old had previously finished behind the classy pair of Los Angeles and Anmaat in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh, but she showed when romping to success in the Group 1 Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot on Champions Day that she is a class act. She will find it hard taking on the boys again, but she has shown to be a real consistent performer at this high level, so can’t be disregarded.
2025 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Verdict
We may only have five runners, but four will line up with a real chance of landing the 2025 King George, but while all eyes will be on the clash between Calandagan and Jan Brueghel again, it’s REBEL’S ROMANCE that can blossom on the big stage once again. A real consistent performer, Charlie Appleby’s star could well be the one to benefit from a strong pace and could well outbattle the aforementioned duo in the final furlong.
- Rebel’s Romance
- Calandagan
- Jan Brueghel
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