The King George Racing Weekend will take centre stage of British horse racing this weekend, with the feature race being the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The racing is scheduled to begin on Friday, July 24, with the first race of the day at Ascot Racecourse at 22:50 AEST. The feature race will take place on Sunday, July 26, with horses going to post at 00:35 AEST.

Quick Picks

Our pick: Calandagan to win

Value bet: Each-Way on Benvenuto Cellini

Long shot: Each-Way on Goliath

Betting Preview

A total of 14 races will be held across the King George Racing Weekend, with six being held on the first day and eight on the feature day, which includes the main race.

The 2026 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is run over 1m 4f on Ascot’s right‑handed, sweeping round course, starting on the back straight before turning steadily right into the long home bend and then joining the famous straight for a testing, slightly uphill run‑in.

It has a prize fund of £2 million (AU$3,848,390), making it the richest race in British racing this year. It is a Grade 1 race that is open to horses that are 3 and older, and will feature some of the best middle‑distance runners in the sport.

Betting Markets to Watch

Calandagan is the defending champion and is the main favourite to win the 2026 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. However, he gives weight to an improving Classic generation headed by Irish Derby winner Benvenuto Cellini .

Calandagan has had another good season racing in France and certainly has the raw ability to retain his title. Still, there’s a chance he could be found vulnerable in this race with Benvenuto Cellini involved.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Benvenuto Cellini will have top weight in this race due to weight‑for‑age rules. He is the Irish Derby winner and is a strong‑staying colt with a progressive profile that suits this race.

That said, O’Brien has incredibly only has one winner in this race in 17 years.

Our Prediction

Check the latest 2026 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes betting odds at Sportsbet.

We think Calandagan is the most likely to win the race, as he is the defending champion and has the experience of this race. This could be enough to get him around the course and be first past the post.

Benvenuto Cellini offers good value as a potential winner, but it might be safer to back the 3y/o in the each-way market.

For a long shot, our attention is on the French colt Goliath.

His odds might look long, but he has value in the each-way as he has continued to run well in strong French Group 1s alongside Calandagan.

Goliath, winner of the 2024 race, comes into this year’s spectacle on the back of a highly respectable third-placed finish in the Hardwicke Stakes. While he has not hit the heights of his 2024 win, he could be in the running.