Andrew’s Ascot King George Day: Race Rundown
The clash from the downs that saw Jan Brueghel get the better of Calandagan in a pulsating finish in the Group 1 Coronation Cup are getting the rematch they deserve in the Group 1 King George.
Expect to see the same front-running tactics employed by Ballydoyle with Continuous, benefiting Ryan Moore on Jan Brueghel. But will we see the same result this time around?Ā
Away from the main event of the King George, there are two Group 3s and ultra-competitive handicaps to get through.
Quick Ascot King George Day TipsWin singlesĀ & each way1:10 British EBF Crocker Bulteel āConfindā Maiden: New Monarch1:40 Group 3 Sodexo Live! Princess Margaret Stakes: Midnight Tango 11/1 with Coral (e/w)2:20 Group 3 Longines Valiant Stakes: Royal Dress 5/1 with bet3653:00 Moet & Chandon International Handicap: Billyjoh 12/1 with Ladbrokes (e/w)3:35 Betfred Handicap: Bopedro 11/1 with Ladbrokes (e/w)4:10 Group 1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes: Jan Brueghel 7/4 with Paddy Power4:45 Me2 Club Handicap: Venezuelan5:15 Whispering Angel Handicap: Vintage Clarets 13/2 with Ladbrokes (e/w)š 1:10 British EBF Crocker Bulteel āConfinedā Maiden Stakes – 6fSurprisingly, William Buick has decided to go with the experienced Word Of Truth out of the two Godolphin runners. Having finished only eighth on debut, Word Of Truth has since been gelded, and your hopes rest on the assumption that the procedure has brought him considerably forward.
Wechaad is one who looks set to leave his debut effort behind him. That race is working out well, with the winner going on to finish second at Listed level, and the second, third, and fifth all going on to win since.
He is feared the most, but the Andrew Balding-trained NEW MONARCH was an eye-catching second to the odds-on Moonfall on debut in novice company.
He raced free and green at Newbury, and now, with that experience behind him in what looks an easier task than his debut, he can get off the mark at the second time of asking.
2024 Winner: Our Terms J: Ryan Moore ā T: Richard Hannon Odds: 7/2
NEW MONARCH
Trainer: Andrew BaldingJockey: Oisin MurphyForm: 2Age: 2Weight: 9st 2lbš Bet on NEW MONARCH to win with Ladbrokes š
š 1:40 Group 3 Sodexo Live! Princess Margaret Stakes – 6fDance To The Music looks set to be popular with punters in the first Group race of the day after his convincing debut win at Newmarket. The second from his debut win has gone on to finish placed at Listed and Group 2 level since.
However, a chance is taken that MIDNIGHT TANGO, who was fourth behind Dance To The Music on debut, can make the most of his experience and close the gap on the Godolphin runner at what looks to be generous odds.
Since that debut fourth, Midnight Tango has gone on to her maiden at Hamilton with ease, and backed that win up with a head second at Listed level on Newmarket’s July course.
She was a step slow away on the day, and that may have been the difference between winning and losing, but now that she is more street-wise coming in here, she looks set to put in a career-best performance. Staya and Fitzella are the ones who promise to take another step forward.
2024 Winner: Simmering J: Ryan Moore ā T: Ollie Sangster Odds: 11/8 Fav
MIDNIGHT TANGO
Trainer: Ed WalkerJockey: Tom MarquandForm: 412Ā Age: 2Weight: 9st 2lbĀ š Bet on MIDNIGHT TANGO each way at 11/1 with Coral š
š 2:20 Group 3 Longines Valiant Stakes – 1mChantilly Lace drops back in grade after two creditable efforts at Group 1 level this season. She was no match for Desert Flower in the 1000 Guineas and then found Cercene and others too good at Royal Ascot.
She will appreciate the drop in grade and is entitled to be the one that they all have to beat on her form, as well as the fact that she receives the weight-for-age allowance.
However, ROYAL DRESS shot back to form with an impressive win when sent off as the well-supported winner of a Listed race over one mile. That was her first time back at one mile this season, and it paid dividends.
Now with that win under her belt, and in a race that looks set to be run at a strong pace, this daughter of Night Of Thunder looks set to run her opposition down late on. She will have a big say in the outcome here.
Pina Sonata, who comes here on the back of two easy wins at a lower level, can outrun her odds in a wide-open Longines Valiant Stakes.
2024 Winner: Friendly Soul ā J: Kieran Shoemark ā T: John Gosden – Odds: 10/3
ROYAL DRESS
Trainer: James TateĀ Jockey: James DoyleForm: 13-341Age: 5Weight: 9st 5lbĀ š Bet on ROYAL DRESS to win at 5/1 with bet365 š
š 3:00 Moet & Chandon International Handicap ā 7fThe weather will have its say on which side of the track will be home to the elusive golden highway of Ascot. It will be hard to tell which side it will be from the three races run before we get here, and as we saw at Royal Ascot, it can change in the blink of an eye.
However, away from the guessing game of the golden highway, BILLYJOH gets the tentative vote here. He’s an infrequent winner for his talent and is now one pound lower than when finishing just over three lengths off the winner in this very race last season. He has been running at a consistent level this season, and his latest third at Newmarket suggests that his turn may not be far away.
In a race that is open to any of the 22 runners winning, last season’s winner, Northern Express, Classic, Oliver Show, and Two Tribes all have strong each-way chances.
2024 Winner: Northen Express ā J: Paul Mulrennan ā T: Michael Dobs – Odds: 22/1
BILLYJOH
Trainer: Michael ApplebyJockey: Tom MarquandĀ Form: -83203Age: 5Weight: 9st 1lbĀ š Bet on BILLYJOH each way at 12/1 with Ladbrokes š
š 3:35 Betfred Handicap – 1mTeroomm failed in his attempt to win four on the bounce when he found the Britannia Stakes much too competitive at Royal Ascot. You can forgive him for that run, and with the progress he had shown before that, there is every chance that he can bounce back to form here.
Bullet Point fared better than Teroomm at Royal Ascot when filling the runner-up spot in the Royal Hunt Cup, but a chance is taken with BOPEDRO, who was just a half-length behind Bullet Point in the same race. The selection was over eight lengths behind Bullet Point on his seasonal return, but he showed that it was not his turn running when going agonisingly close at Royal Ascot.
Since that run, Bopedro was narrowly beaten into third in another high-class handicap at York (Sisyphean finished in second place). The price discrepancy is too big to ignore, and this evergreen nine-year-old looks set to run his race once again at a track he consistently runs well at. The seven-year-old Hickory must be given a chance back at this track.
2024 Winner: Elnajmm ā J: Tom Marquand ā T: William Haggas ā Odds: 11/8 Fav
BOPEDRO
Trainer: David OāMearaJockey: Daniel TudhopeForm: 622633Age: 9Weight: 9st 10lbĀ
š Bet on BOPEDRO each way at 11/1 with Ladbrokes š
š 4:10 Group 1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes – 1m4fWhen Calandagan was sent off as the well-backed odds-on favourite to take the Group 1 Coronation Cup, he simply couldnāt find enough to get past JAN BRUEGHEL.
The French raider has since had his day in the sun at Group 1 level when winning the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud at Longchamp, but even so, itās hard to see him reversing placings with the Ballydoyle runner. Jan Brueghel has already shown that when push comes to shove, he keeps finding for pressure and given that the same tactics are set to be played with pacemaker Continuous, it is set up for the same result.
Jan Brueghel comes in here fresh, and even though he has his own way of doing things, he will prove a tough nut to crack. Should the ground dry out considerably, then that would bring Rebelās Romance into it with strong form credentials.
2024 Winner: Goliath ā J: Christoph Soumillon ā T: F Graffard – Odds: 25/1
JAN BRUEGHEL
Trainer: Aidan OāBrienJockey: Ryan MooreForm: 111-21Age: 4Ā Weight: 9st 9lbš Bet on JAN BRUEGHEL to win at 7/4 with Paddy Power š
š 4:45 Me2 Club Handicap – 1m4fBohemian Breeze bounced back to form with a last-gasp win at Brighton at the beginning of the month, and a 3lb rise in the weights leaves him well in on some of his old form. Should he get a strong pace to aim at, he can be bang there in his current form.
Buxted Too is a nine-time winner, with eight of those nine wins coming on the all-weather. He is much better on the all-weather, and that is reflected in his turf make, but he is on a mark that he can be competitive off.
However, in a race that lacks a clear standout, VENEZUELAN, who gets first-time blinkers for his first try at this distance, is worth siding with. He was a shade unlucky on his latest start when the jockey was late removing his blind fold, and given how he raced over shorter trips, this trip is well worth a go.
He looks the type that will have no issue with this new distance, and can get off the mark at the sixth time of asking.Ā Ā
2024 Winner: Assail J: Silvestre de Sousa ā T: David Simcock – Odds: 4/1
VENEZUELAN
Trainer: Ralph BeckettJockey: Hector CrouchForm: 82-423Age: 3Weight: 9st 9lbš Bet on VENEZUELA to win with Ladbrokes š
š 5:15 Whispering Angel Handicap ā 5fTropical Storm, as expected, found Group 1 level too much for him at Royal Ascot, but before that, he bounced back to form with a last-gasp win at Listed level at York.
He will be more at home back in handicap company, but even with his win before that win, he is one not to entirely rely on. The mare Azure Angel has been in good form this season, and looks set to be a major player here.
However, even though VINTAGE CLARETS has yet to win at Ascot, he consistently runs some of his better races here. He comes here on the back of a close sixth to now Group 1 winner American Affair, with the ultra-consistent Jm Jungle in second place, and followed that up with fifth to Jm Jungle, and most recently an agonising defeat in the Gosforth Park Cup Stakes at Newcastle.
You can set your watch by him at Ascot, and at his current odds, he looks a big each-way player.
2024 Winner: Albasheer J: Holly Doyle ā T: Archie Watson – Odds: 10/3
VINTAGE CLARETS
Trainer: Richard FaheyJockey: Warren Fentiman (5lb)Form: 073652Age: 6Weight: 9st 7lbš Bet on VINTAGE CLARETS each way at 13/2 with Ladbrokes š
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Ascot King George Day scheduleTIMERACEDISTANCE1:10British EBF Croker Bulteel ‘Confined’ Maiden Stakes6f1:40Group 3 Sodexo! Live Princess Margaret Stakes6f2:20Group 3 Longines Valiant Stakes1m3:00Moet & Chandon International Handicap7f3:35Betfred Handicap1m4:10Group 1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes1m4f4:45Me2 Club Handicap1m4f5:15Whispering Angel Handicap5fšŗ How to watch Ascot King George DayLocation: Ascot, Berkshire, United KingdomDate/Time: Saturday 26th July, 2025. First Race 1:10TV/Streaming: Sky Sports Racing & ITV
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Andrew Halligan
My name is Andrew Halligan, horse racing pundit and founder of YouTube’s The Finishing Line Podcast. Horse racing is a thrilling spectacle that captivates audiences around the world with its blend of drama and excitement. Whether you’re a jumps or flat fan, I will use my experience of working within the horse racing industry to bring the best of what this sport has to offer.
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