2025 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes: Runners, Odds & Predictions
Everything is set for the 2025 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes as eight contenders duke it out for the ultimate prize in Britain’s most prestigious open-age flat horse race this weekend in Ascot.
Among the favorites are Calandagan, Jan Brueghel, Kalpana, and Rebel’s Romance, while Lambourn and Whirl come in as dark horse contenders. After last year’s 25-1 underdog Goliath stunned the competition, this year’s race promises to be just as unpredictable. If you are looking to join in the action, then keep scrolling as we look at the contenders for this year’s edition.
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Top contenders for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes
The Aidan O’Brien yard featuring horses such as Continuous, Jan Brueghel, Whirl, and Lambourn remains in top contention for the title, having won the competition four times. However, they are expected to face stiff competition from the Francis Graffard yard, which boasts Calandagan, who delivered a winning performance at the 2024 King Edward VII Stakes.
Calandagan
The best horse racing sites have Calandagan coming in as a 7/4 favorite to win the 2025 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and for a good reason. Playing under the tutelage of French racehorse trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, Calandagan displayed stellar performances in the past year or so. It can be recalled that Calandagan won the 2024 King Edward VII Stakes and the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud earlier this year while delivering strong efforts in Group One company. With Calandagan returning to the scene of his remarkable Royal Ascot victory, he looks primed to deliver again and I expect him to challenge some of the horses in the Aidan O’Brien yard.
Jan Brueghel
If you are looking for a value bet, then smashing the 15/8 line on Jan Brueghel to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes might be worth a shot. Albeit some lackluster rides on occasions, Jan Brueghel has always been a top performer with the Aidan O’Brien-trained horse winning the 2024 St. Leger and the Coronation Cup. Although the conditions and configuration of Ascot could potentially set up unique battlelines with his other competitors, I am fully expecting Jan Brueghel to step up here.
Rebel’s Romance
Rebel’s Romance is another contender I am keeping my eye on at 13/2. While he is not as flashy as Calandagan and Jan Brueghel, this Charlie Appleby-trained horse remains in top contention for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. What I love about Rebel’s Romance is how efficient he is, as evident by his third-place finish in last year’s edition. My only concern, however, is his age. Now seven years old and in the twilight of his illustrious career, it remains to be seen how Rebel’s Romance will stack up against younger competition.
Kalpana
Rounding off our list of the top contenders at the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is Kalpana. Priced at 4/1 at the best horse racing apps, Kalpana hit the Fillies and Mares Stakes at Ascot in October, which makes me think that she is quite familiar with the racing conditions and configuration of the competition. Kalpana also displayed a good performance at the Tattersalls Gold Cup earlier this year when she finished third behind Los Angeles and Anmaat. If she could put up a similar run or perhaps improve on it, then it’s certainly possible that Kalpana could pull off a stunner here.
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Dark horse contenders for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes
While it’s hard to go up against odds-on favorites like Calandagan and Jan Brueghel, it doesn’t take away the fact that the last few winners of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes have been underdogs. In fact, the last four winners of the competition were moderate to heavy underdogs with the latest being Goliath, who was priced 25/1 at several bookies last year.
Lambourn
Lambourn heads into this race in high spirits after becoming the 20th three-year-old to complete the much-coveted English-Irish Derby double. Several bookmakers have Lambourn priced at 12/1, which could offer plenty of value considering his cardio and his ability to grind out come-from-behind victories. My only concern about Lambourn is that he tends to start slow, which could prove costly in the later stages of the race, especially with the number of talented competitors on deck.
Whirl
After landing the Musidora Stakes by an impressive five-and-a-half lengths, Whirl hopes to make a name for herself in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Bookmakers have Whirl at 14/1 to win it all, which is extremely juicy considering that the Ballydoyle racer has significantly improved from her debut run. Of course, there are always questions about her ability to perform since this will be her toughest task to date. However, considering that she always exceeded expectations every time she hits the track, backing Whirl at 14/1 is among the best free bets for this competition.
Green Impact
Green Impact is priced at 25/1 on some bookmakers and that seems about right considering his form. While he scored an impressive pair of wins against Delacroix, Green Impact failed to land a blow at Newmarket and at the Curragh. Nevertheless, this race should give Green Impact a massive experience boost, especially considering that he is only making his seventh start.
Continuous
Now on the tail-end of his career, Continuous remains one of the fan-favorites in the competition. He is currently 100/1 to pull off an upset at the King George Stakes. Of course, there’s always a possibility that Continuous can regain his old form and perform like he did when he won St. Leger but I highly doubt it considering the wear and tear of his long career and his recent performances.
Conclusion – Joining the action at the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes
Considering Goliath’s unlikely win last year, I am quite excited about how the 2025 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes will turn out. With odds-on favorites like Calandagan and Jan Brueghel leading the pack and dark horses Lambourn and Whirl posing as serious threats, there are several value betting plays you can take advantage of in this race. So, don’t wait and place your bets, choose a bookmaker from our banners today before odds start to tighten.
