Ascot’s showpiece midsummer contest is set for another international edition this weekend, with reigning champion Calandagan reported to be in peak condition as he prepares to defend his title in the 76th running of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2026
The Longines World’s Best Racehorse of 2025 heads a high-class field for the £2 million Group 1 feature, aiming to become only the fourth horse in history to win Ascot’s prestigious middle-distance championship in successive years.
Prepared by French trainer Francis-Henri Graffard for the Aga Khan Studs, Calandagan arrives at Ascot after returning to winning form in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud earlier this month. That success marked the six-year-old’s sixth Group 1 victory and reinforced his credentials ahead of another major international assignment.
Nemone Routh, Director and French Racing Manager for the Aga Khan Studs, expressed confidence in the defending champion following his latest workout.
“The King George has always been Calandagan’s main objective this summer. We toyed with the idea of not going to Saint-Cloud because we did not want to compromise his chances for the King George, but he came right just before that race and we felt we needed to know where we were with him after Epsom,” she said.
Routh added that the Saint-Cloud victory had benefited the horse both physically and mentally.
“Calandagan has come out of Saint-Cloud very well. Mentally, I think it was a very good race for him. His regular rider thinks he has improved from Saint-Cloud and is spot on for the King George, which he will need to be as it looks a stronger field this year. He will have to be at the top of his form, but we know he loves Ascot and always runs well there.”
She described Calandagan as one of the standout horses produced by the Aga Khan Studs in recent years.
“Calandagan has been the ultimate racehorse for us. He is so consistent and, if he can, always gives the best of himself. He is just a top-class horse. He is incredibly special to us as an organisation and has taken us to places we never thought we would conquer, like the Japan Cup.”
Highlighting his racing style, Routh said the horse possesses an exceptional turn of foot.
“He has a great mind for the game. He is an intelligent horse with a very strong personality. He is pretty laidback and runs his races the way he wants to. He does not get involved with the early pace, as he likes to lob along out the back, and then he has incredible acceleration that is sustained over the last few furlongs. Mickael Barzalona says, ‘once I ask him to quicken, he just never stops.’ That is his main weapon.”
Graffard will also be chasing a remarkable milestone. Victory this year would give the French trainer a third consecutive success in the King George following Calandagan’s triumph last year and Goliath’s victory in 2024, matching achievements previously recorded by Noel Murless (1966-68) and Saeed bin Suroor (1997-99).
Goliath is also set to return to Ascot after finishing an unlucky third in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot earlier this season.
A total of 10 horses remain in contention for the 2026 renewal, with eight Group 1 winners among the confirmations. Alongside the French pair are Benvenuto Cellini, Minnie Hauk, Lambourn, Masquerade Ball, Kalpana and Bay City Roller, underlining the exceptional depth of this year’s contest.
The race has once again attracted international participation, with horses representing Britain, Ireland, France and Japan. That global appeal has translated into unprecedented broadcast coverage, with 20 television networks set to carry the race across 120 territories—more than three times the number secured in 2021.
New broadcasters this year include Channel 7 in Australia, CBC in Canada, SPOTV across Southeast Asia, Tapmad in Pakistan and TVRI in Indonesia. Dubai Media and Abu Dhabi Media return to provide extensive Middle East and North Africa coverage, while FOX Sports will televise the race in the United States. ESPN will once again broadcast across South America and the Caribbean.
HBA Media, responsible for the international production and distribution of Ascot’s racing coverage, will produce a dedicated 90-minute broadcast hosted by Tom Stanley and Aly Vance from 2:30pm to 4:00pm BST, with the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes scheduled for 3:35pm BST.
Supporting the feature race is a quality undercard. The Group 3 Longines Valiant Stakes is expected to feature Touleen, runner-up in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, alongside the unbeaten Secret Of Life, Kon Tiki and recent Listed scorer Radiant Beauty.
The Group 3 Princess Margaret Japan Cup Stakes could see Richard Hannon’s Dark Issue, fourth in the Albany Stakes, line up against Andrew Balding’s Moonrise, who finished second in the Windsor Castle Stakes during the Royal Meeting.
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