2026 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Odds - Calandagan favourite to defend Ascot crown

Jon Vine

Editor

Last updated: Wed 15 Jul 2026 12:06

Jon Vine 1 hour ago

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Latest odds and betting for the 2026 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes
This Group One will be run at Ascot on Saturday 25th July
Defending champion Calandagan leads the way in the betting

Mickael Barzalona riding Calandagan (green) win The King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. (Getty)

At the end of July, one of the season's biggest races takes place at Ascot, as many of the world's best racehorses clash in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes. This historic Group One, which was first run back in 1951, has been won by legends like Nijinsky, Mill Reef, Dahlia, Shergar, Galileo and, the only three-time winner, Enable.

Let's take a look through the latest King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes betting and run through the headline entries.

2026 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Odds

Name	Odds
Calandagan	7/4
Masquerade Ball	10/3
Benvenuto Cellini	4/1
Kalpana	8/1
Minnie Hauk	10/1
Goliath	12/1
Bar	16/1

2026 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Entries

Calandagan claimed a cosy victory in this Group One 12 months ago, beating Kalpana and Rebel's Romance with a flying finish. Francis Graffard's star went on to win the Champion Stakes, the Japan Cup and the Sheema Classic, before bouncing back from a below-par run at Epsom with another Group One triumph in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud earlier this month.

Japan looks set to be represented by Tenno Sho winner Masquerade Ball, who started favourite when narrowly beaten by Calandagan in the Japan Cup. Last year's runner-up Kalpana also looks set for another showdown with the market leader, following her narrow defeat to Giavellotto in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The leading three-year-old in this year's King George is Benvenuto Cellini, who heads to Ascot on the back of a hard-fought victory in the Irish Derby. Aidan O'Brien will also be represented by 2025 Arc runner-up Minnie Hauk, following her second-place finish behind Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales's Stakes.

Francis Graffard will also be represented by Goliath, an impressive winner of this very race two years ago. George Scott's runaway Coronation Cup winner Bay City Roller may head to France or Ireland in search of softer ground. Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Almaqam could step up to a mile and a half for the first time, having been found wanting for finishing pace in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Charlie Johnston's Ancient Egypt and Aidan O'Brien's Action could bolster the three-year-old contingent. Wurttemberg could join fellow Japanese contender Masquerade Ball on the flight to Ascot. Causeway, Convergent and Lambourn complete this year's King George entries.