Ascot's King George Weekend Delivers In Style
A Card With Something For Everyone
Ascot's King George weekend closed with drama across every grade of race, from a Group 1 showdown for the ages down to the humblest handicap of the day. Kalpana avenged last year's defeat to Calandagan in the season's richest middle-distance prize, Andrew Balding matched a feat his late father set in 1971, and Saffie Osborne rode three winners in an afternoon few jockeys will forget. Gulf-owned runners were woven through the placings all weekend, from a Group win for Dubai-based owner Ahmad Alkhallafi to further black type for Shadwell, Wathnan and Al Shira'aa Racing. It was a card with something for everyone.
Kalpana Finds A Furlong Of Revenge
Twelve months after Calandagan reeled her in, Kalpana turned the tables in the Gr.1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, sweeping into the lead a furlong out off a brutal pace set by Ballydoyle's Action and holding off the Frenchman's renewed challenge by a length and a half. Colin Keane's decision to angle wide rather than sit proved decisive. Benvenuto Cellini stayed on for third under Ryan Moore, with stablemate Lambourn fourth. “She's pretty damn good isn't she?” said Andrew Balding, whose father Ian won this race with Mill Reef in 1971. Last year's winner Calandagan must regroup before a possible Japan Cup bid.
Amazing Journey Justifies The Gamble
Amazing Journey justified a significant market move to land the International Handicap by a length and a quarter from Two Tribes. Five pounds well in, Saffie Osborne's mount was never troubled once hitting the front, the first leg of a treble for the young jockey. “I said all week I couldn't understand why his price was so big,” said trainer Jamie Osborne, Saffie's father. “He was the only horse who was five pounds well-in and the market probably woke up to that.” Extremely Zain, carrying the colours of Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum, could finish only fourth under Tom Marquand.
Kon Tiki Puts Nerves To Bed
Kon Tiki settled Jane Chapple-Hyam's nerves in some style, quickening clear a furlong out to win the Valiant Stakes by a length and a quarter from the fast-finishing Esna, with Al Shira'aa Racing's Skydance edging out Shadwell's Touleen for third. Ryan Moore held the four-year-old up just behind Pina Sonata before delivering his challenge at the furlong pole. “That meant a lot,” said Chapple-Hyam, who also trains Ascot Shop Handicap winner Primo Lara. “It's good to be on the stage here and I'm just thrilled she's won it dominantly. I was nervous this morning because I knew she'd run a big race.”
Moonrise Survives A Late Surge
Moonrise gave Gulf owner Ahmad Alkhallafi a maiden Group success, holding off the fast-finishing Dee's Funny Girl by a neck in the Princess Margaret Japan Cup Stakes to open Andrew Balding's Group-race treble on the card. Runner-up a month earlier in the Windsor Castle Stakes, the Churchill filly travelled strongly under Oisin Murphy before drifting left in the closing strides. “She got a nice lead into it today which helped, and she was then strong at the end as well,” said Balding. “She had done some nice work before the Windsor Castle and we were hopeful of a big run, and she nearly did it.”
Hickory Completes A Family Double
Hickory gave Jamie and Saffie Osborne a second King George day success as father and daughter combined again, the evergreen eight-year-old holding off Crown Board by half a length in the closing mile handicap. It was a third winner of the card for Saffie, and a third success at the course for a horse also placed there four times. “We just love him, he's so cool! He's like a yard pet,” said the winning jockey. “He's quirky, there's no sort of method or reason to when he wins. I couldn't believe it that even when we quickened he was still on the bridle.”
Glamorous Returns To Winning Ways
All Ways Glamorous ended a twelve-month wait for a win in style, powering three lengths clear in the five-furlong finale to give Christopher Mason and jockey Gina Mangan a first winner in the colours since co-owner Robert Bailey died in December. “It's a bit of an emotional winner really, as it's the first winner in these colours since we lost Mr Bailey,” said Mangan. “It's lifted everyone's spirits a little, and his wife Nina is here, so it's been a good day. We've got him back now. He's a smashing horse going forward and he dominated.”
Never Enough Proves Just Enough
Never Enough opened the card with a taking length-and-a-half success in the EBF Crocker Bulteel 'Confined' Maiden Stakes, building on a debut second at Windsor under a front-running ride from William Buick. Izuba stayed on for second having found no clear run, with Perfect Strike, carrying the colours of Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum, unable to land a blow after being hampered. “He was so laid back at Windsor, and he was so laid back in the prelims here, but he just pinged the gates and grabbed hold of the bit,” said trainer Ed Walker. “I think this guy has got massive scope to go on in the future.”
Primo Lara Completes Osborne Treble
Primo Lara completed a family afternoon for Jane Chapple-Hyam, who had earlier saddled Kon Tiki to Valiant Stakes glory, running on well under Saffie Osborne to complete the jockey's treble in the day's closing middle-distance handicap. Masterinthewoods led into the straight but could not match the winner's turn of foot, with Chepstow scorer Oasis Sunrise staying on for third. “A treble on any day is special, but to get a treble on King George day, I'm delighted,” said Osborne. “I came here today thinking all my rides had chances, but I didn't necessarily think three of them were going to win.”
Eight races, eight different stories, and a King George that lived up to its billing. Balding, Chapple-Hyam and the Osborne family all leave Ascot with reasons to celebrate, while Gulf owners collected black type across the card. Ascot's summer showpiece proved, once again, why it remains the highlight of the domestic racing calendar.
The Gulf Ledger
Godolphin, Shadwell Estate Company and Dubai-based owner Ahmad Alkhallafi were the standout UAE interests across the wider meeting. On the 25 July card itself, Alkhallafi's Moonrise took the Princess Margaret Japan Cup Stakes for a maiden Group success, wathnan Racing's Alta Regina, trained by Hamad Al Jehani, was seventh in the same race, and Shadwell's Touleen was touched off for third by a short head in the Valiant Stakes. Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum saddled Extremely Zain, fourth in the International Handicap, and Blue Rc, tenth in the closing mile handicap, while Al Shira'aa Racing's Skydance picked up black type in the Valiant Stakes. Elsewhere across the weekend, Godolphin's Sorrengail won a novice fillies' stakes under Charlie Appleby and Billy Loughnane, and Shadwell's Al Azd landed a handicap by four and a quarter lengths — underlining how deep UAE investment now runs through the Ascot fixture.
Winners
1. Gr.1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes
1st – Kalpana (Trainer- Andrew Balding / Jockey- Colin Keane)
2nd – Calandagan (Trainer- F-H Graffard / Jockey- Mickael Barzalona)
3rd – Benvenuto Cellini (Trainer- A P O'Brien / Jockey- Ryan Moore)
Class 1, 3yo+, 1m4f, Good To Firm · Winner's purse £1,134,200 (US$1.5 million) from a £2,000,000 (US$2.6 million) guaranteed fund · Run 25 July 2026, 3:36pm GST (3:36pm BST)
2. International Handicap (Heritage Handicap)
1st – Amazing Journey (Trainer- Jamie Osborne / Jockey- Saffie Osborne)
2nd – Two Tribes (Trainer- Richard Spencer / Jockey- David Egan)
3rd – Aalto (Trainer- Ian Williams / Jockey- William Buick)
Class 2, 3yo+, 7f, Good To Firm · Winner's purse £77,310 (US$99,000) · Run 25 July 2026, 2:57pm GST (2:57pm BST)
3. Gr.3 Valiant Stakes
1st – Kon Tiki (Trainer- Jane Chapple-Hyam / Jockey- Ryan Moore)
2nd – Esna (Trainer- Brian Meehan / Jockey- Mickael Barzalona)
3rd – Skydance (Trainer- W McCreery / Jockey- Oisin Murphy)
Class 1, 3yo+, 1m, Good To Firm · Winner's purse £53,874.50 (US$69,000) · Run 25 July 2026, 2:22pm GST (2:22pm BST)
4. Gr.3 Princess Margaret Japan Cup Stakes
1st – Moonrise (Trainer- Andrew Balding / Jockey- Oisin Murphy)
2nd – Dee's Funny Girl (Trainer- Donnacha O'Brien / Jockey- Ryan Moore)
3rd – Velozee (Trainer- P Twomey / Jockey- W J Lee)
Class 1, 2yo fillies, 6f, Good To Firm · Winner's purse £45,368 (US$58,000) · Run 25 July 2026, 1:45pm GST (1:45pm BST)
5. Betfred Handicap
1st – Hickory (Trainer- Jamie Osborne / Jockey- Saffie Osborne)
2nd – Crown Board (Trainer- Jane Chapple-Hyam / Jockey- Silvestre De Sousa)
3rd – Spanish Voice (Trainer- Andrew Balding / Jockey- William Buick)
Class 2, 3yo+, 1m, Good To Firm · Winner's purse £30,924 (US$40,000) · Run 25 July 2026, 4:47pm GST (4:47pm BST)
6. Whispering Angel Handicap
1st – All Ways Glamorous (Trainer- Christopher Mason / Jockey- Gina Mangan)
2nd – Getreadytorumble (Trainer- Jack Channon / Jockey- Tom Marquand)
3rd – Indian Run (Trainer- Julie Camacho / Jockey- Ryan Sexton)
Class 2, 3yo+, 5f, Good To Firm · Winner's purse £30,924 (US$40,000) · Run 25 July 2026, 5:22pm GST (5:22pm BST)
7. EBF Crocker Bulteel 'Confined' Maiden Stakes
1st – Never Enough (Trainer- Ed Walker / Jockey- William Buick)
2nd – Izuba (Trainer- Andrew Balding / Jockey- Oisin Murphy)
3rd – Tumishi (Trainer- James Fanshawe / Jockey- Daniel Muscutt)
Class 2, 2yo colts & geldings, 6f, Good To Firm · Winner's purse £27,000 (US$35,000) · Run 25 July 2026, 1:11pm GST (1:11pm BST)
8. Ascot Shop Handicap
1st – Primo Lara (Trainer- Jane Chapple-Hyam / Jockey- Saffie Osborne)
2nd – Masterinthewoods (Trainer- Emma Lavelle / Jockey- Marco Ghiani)
3rd – Oasis Sunrise (Trainer- Grace Harris / Jockey- Ashley Lewis)
Class 4, 3yo+, 1m4f, Good To Firm · Winner's purse £16,042.20 (US$21,000) · Run 25 July 2026, 4:13pm GST (4:13pm BST)