Key events
KALPANA SEIZES THE MOMENT TO GIVE BALDING EMOTIONAL KING GEORGE SUCCESS
Kalpana, the runner-up behind Calandagan in last year’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, reversed the form in a deeper race here on Saturday to give Andrew Balding, her trainer, an emotional first success in Ascot’s midsummer showpiece.
Balding father, Ian, who died in January, saddled the great Mill Reef to win the King George in 1971. Fifty-five years later, the Kingsclere stable near Watership Down that he built into one of Britain’s finest training establishments is on the roll of honour once again, thanks to a polished ride by Colin Keane on Kalpana, a 13-2 shot, which turned a one-length deficit in 2025 into a one-and-a-half length success 12 months later.
Calandagan attracted plenty of support before the race and set off as the 6-5 favourite, but Mickael Barzalona’s mount could not reel her in after Keane struck for home inside the final quarter-mile.
“I’ve just felt she has been better this year,” Balding said afterwards, “and it was a struggle to get weight off her last year, but this year I felt she has trained leaner and lighter and I’ve been happier with her all along.
“I don’t know what the difference is, but she is so much fitter this year and it told at the finish.”
Keane, meanwhile, was enjoying his most significant success since his appointment as the powerful Juddmonte operation’s retained jockey in the middle of last year.
“She’s a very special mare, we thought she was coming here with a big chance,” Keane said, “but saying that, realistically I thought if she was third it would be a massive run [so] it just shows how good she is.”
Balding must now decide whether to point Kalpana towards the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October, a race in which she finished only seventh – from a wide draw – last year.
“Anything is possible moving forwards,” Balding said. “The Arc didn’t work out last year because of the draw and that is a danger again, but anything is possible and she’s thriving on her racing, so you couldn’t even rule out the Yorkshire Oaks [in August]. She’s right at the top of her game.”
The obvious target for Kalpana now is the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October, when she would be bidding to give the famous Juddmonte silks a record-breaking seventh win in Europe’s showpiece event.
She’s been cut to around 12-1 for what would be, in all likelihood, the final start of her career.
That was also a very polished and professional ride by Colin Keane, who is in his first full season as the Juddmonte operation’s No.1 rider. He was ideally placed throughout and then seized his chance to open up a decisive lead on Calandagan and Benvenuto Cellini.
The Japanese runners, though …
It’s really tough to travel thousands of miles and compete at the highest level, but Masquerade Ball and Wurttemburg were beaten with most of the straight ahead of them.
Andrew Balding was understandably emotional in the winner’s enclosure after Kalpana’s King George success. His father, Ian, died on 2 January this year.
She’s a very special filly and Colin did a beautiful job. I was always comfortable watching it, even in the last 100 yards.
It was very sporting of [owners] Juddmonte to keep her in training. It would have been very easy to retire her but she’s paid them back in spades.
Colin Keane and Kalpana are on their way back to the winner’s enclosure after reversing the form from last year’s King George. Andrew Balding, meanwhile, has won the Ascot showpiece for the first time – 55 years after his late father, Ian, won with Mill Reef.
ASCOT 3.35 RESULT: KALPANA MASTERS CALANDAGAN IN EPIC KING GEORGE
1. KALPANA 13-2, 2. Calandagan, 3. Benvenuto Cellini. 9 ran.
Lambourn and Action go forward, Minnie Hauk in behind, the O’Brien runners are in charge at the head of the field …
Action in a clear lead, Kalpana mid-division, Calandagan and Masquerade Ball bring up the rear ..
Goliath and Benvenuto Cellini also towards the rail …
Four out, Action still leads, stretching them, Minnie Hauk now second, turning in ….
The Japanese runners look beaten, here’s Benvenuto Cellini and Calandagan but Kalpana leads, she’s two lengths up from Calandagan, she’s going to reverse the form from last year and Kalapana wins the best King George of the century (so far!)
Off and running in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes …
They are at the start, a couple are a little on edge – Masquerade Ball and Minnie Hauk most obviously. Won’t be long now …
The King George runners are heading out onto the track, and there is a brilliant buzz about the place as they do.
Ascot were expecting around 20,000 racegoers today, which is around 10k down on the crowd for last year’s Champions Day, and barely a quarter of the capacity crowd of 71k that were here for the final day of the Royal meeting in June. But it does not feel as though they are rattling around in the grandstand, and the track’s efforts to build up the King George itself as the main event are certainly reaping a reward.
“We’re not saying come for the concert,” as Nick Smith, Ascot’s director of racing, told me earlier this week. “We’re not saying come and have your face painted. We’re saying this is Britain’s premier all-aged race and it’s a very special sporting moment.”
Calandagan led the parade, and he’s 6-5 to follow up last year’s win.
Just grabbed a quick look at the King George runners in the paddock. No negatives to report – although Goliath’s stringhalt, which causes him to jerk a hind leg into the air at the walk, always takes a bit of getting used to.
Masquerade Ball was taking it all in his stride on his first visit to Europe.
Masquerade Ball is notably weak in the pre-race betting having been a solid second-favourite overnight.
The other runner that has probably earned a mention – if only by racking up the air miles alongside Masquerade Ball – is the second Japanese-trained runner, Wurttemberg. He’s a big price at around 50-1, but finished a nose second in the Spring Tenno Sho last time out and Oisin Murphy takes the reins.
Latest betting for the King George:
11-8 Calandagan
9-2 Benvenuto Cellini
6-1 Masquerade Ball
13-2 Kalpana
8-1 Minnie Hauk
12-1 Goliath
50-1 Wurttemberg
80-1 Lambourn
250-1 Action
3.35 ASCOT, KING GEORGE VI & QUEEN ELIZABETH STAKES, GROUP ONE, 1M 3F 211YD
And so we arrive at the main event, and a race that speaks for itself with seven Group One winners from four countries (and two continents) in the running.
We’ve already had a look at the form of the main contenders, and the moment for a final decision is here. The top half-dozen in the betting will all have plenty of supporters, but I’m very much in the Masquerade Ball camp and hope to see him give Japan a first-ever King George success in just under 30 minutes’ time.
There’s always a slight concern at the back of your mind when a horse has travelled halfway around the world to compete, and the previous record of Japanese-trained runners in this race – one third-place finish in 2006 from six attempts – is uninspiring.
But Masquerade Ball is the best horse from Japan to line up for this race by some way, has form in the book already that puts him very close to Calandagan, and can be expected to be better yet with another winter behind him.
Timeform top-rated: Calandagan.
SELECTION: MASQUERADE BALL.
A fine family success for trainer Jamie Osborne and his daughter, Saffie, who has an very impressive record on the straight course at Ascot. Extremely Zain had every chance but may not have been a Group One horse in a handicap after all.
2.55 ASCOT RESULT: JOURNEY WORTH THE EFFORT FOR OSBORNES
1. AMAZING JOURNEY 4-1, 2. Two Tribes, 3. Aalto, 4. Extremely Zain. 16 ran.
Off and running in the 2.55 Ascot
Stellar Sunrise is fast away far side, Extremely Zain goes well a couple of lengths off the lead ..
Amazing Journey also well there, down to the two, half a dozen in with a chance, Amazing Journey leads but here’s Extremely Zain, making ground but the favourite won’t get there, Amazing Journey wins with a photo for second.
The other runner to note in the next race is Extremely Zain, from the William Haggas yard, who is the most unexposed runner in the race after three starts and has yet to taste defeat.
This is obviously a significant step up, and he is 8lb higher in the weights having won a competitive event at York on his handicap debut last month. He was entered in next week’s Group One Sussex Stakes until the most recent forfeit stage, and so is clearly held in high regard by his stable.
2.55 ASCOT, INTERNATIONAL STAKES HANDICAP, 7F
A sixteen-runner field is slightly below-par for the feature handicap on King George day, and well short of the 28 that went to post for the Buckingham Palace Stakes, the equivalent contest at the Royal meeting, in which Mezcala, Great Acclaim, Golden Mind and Arctic Dawn finished first, third, 23rd and 24th respectively. The finish is here from 5m33sec, and while Arctic Dawn has excuses having raced in the small far-side group, Golden Mind does not.
The Victoria Cup, in May, is another contest over course-and-distance to consider. In this year’s race, Great Acclaim was second with Golden Mind fourth, Aalto ninth and Completely Random in 10th.
The current favourite, though, is Amazing Journey, trained by Jamie Osborne and ridden by his daughter, Saffie, who carries a 3lb penalty for a comfortable win over course and distance 15 days ago.
Track-and-trip form is generally the best guide on the straight course at Ascot, and a high-drawn runner that can track the pace before quickening up the hill is a decent profile too so I’m giving Great Acclaim a chance to improve on his excellent runs into the frame so far this year. It should go without saying, though, that many other live options are available.
Timeform top-rated: Amazing Journey.
SELECTION: GREAT ACCLAIM.
2.35 YORK RESULT: ITEM BACK TO WINNING FORM
1. ITEM 3-1, 2. Pride Of Arras. 5 ran.
Damysus is favourite for the York Stakes at 5-4, and they’re off and running …
Pride Of Arras leads, Item next, it’s a very steady pace …
Into the home straight, Pride of Arras still leads, Royal Champion makes ground, Item under pressure.
Three out, still Pride Of Arras but Royal Champion going well, Item making ground too …
Item hits the front, staying on well, Damysus finishing but won’t get there …. Item will win at 3-1.
Looping back to the Princess Margaret won by Andrew Balding’s Moonrise, she is 6-1 from 12-1 with Paddy Power for the Lowther Stakes at York’s Ebor meeting in Europe.
She had done some nice work before the Windsor Castle and we were hopeful of a big run and she nearly did it, but I would be very happy with today’s performance.
She’s in the Lowther and that looks the next logical step, but after that is a long way away to be thinking back just yet. There’s plenty of races we can be looking at.
2.35 YORK, YORK STAKES, GROUP TWO, 1M 2F 56YD
A Group Two over the trip of the Dante Stakes here in May, and the last two winners of that race, Item and Pride Of Arras, are both in the field, along with Damysus, who finished a one-and-a-quarter length second to Pride Of Arras in the 2025 renewal.
Both Pride Of Arras and Damysus set off as a leading fancies for the Derby a few weeks later, but finished second-last and last respectively behind Lambourn (who is now, sad to say, likely to be used as a pacemaker for Benvenuto Cellini and Minnie Hauk in the King George later today).
Item also finished down the field at Epsom after his Dante win earlier this year:
…but he was making only the fourth start of his career and surely deserves a chance to get his career back onto its previous upward curve.
Royal Champion, an eight-year-old gelding, is far more exposed but a regular in Group One company around the globe and certainly not a contender to dismiss lightly.
Timeform top-rated: Damysus.
SELECTION: ITEM.
Touleen could not even make the frame, disappointing. But that was a fine, no-nonsense ride by Ryan Moore on Kon Tiki, the second-favourite, and Jane Chapple-Hyam’s runner was a worthy winner.
2.20 ASCOT RESULT: KON TIKI LANDS AFTER MARKET DRIFT
1. KON TIKI 7-2, 2. Esna, 3. Skydance. 8 ran.
Touleen is a 5-6 shot for the Valiant Stakes, which will be off any moment now …
And away they go …
Level break but not much pace on, Pina Sonata a reluctant leader and Touleen is taking a hold, Kon Tiki settled second …
Starting to turn for home, Touleen two wide but won’t have traffic problems from there … Kon Tiki first to move though and Touleen hangs in behind, the favourite is beaten, Kon Tiki is clear and going to win easily, Touleen is in a photo for third …
KING GEORGE CONTENDER: GOLIATH
Age: 6. Career: 21 races, 9 wins. Group One wins: 2. Trainer: Francis-Henri Graffard. Timeform rating: 124
Francis-Henri Graffard’s six-year-old is almost the forgotten horse of the race, but he was an emphatic King George winner two years ago with today’s rider, Christophe Soumillon, in the plate.
He has added just one Group One to his record since, however, and finished a long way adrift of his stable-companion, Calandagan, in their only previous meeting, in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in June 2025.
He was also only third – with today’s rival, Kalpana, ahead of him in second – in the Hardwicke Stakes over today’s track and trip at the Royal meeting, and will need to be right back to his 2024 peak to trouble the principals today.
2.20 ASCOT, VALIANT STAKES, GROUP THREE, 7F 213YD
There’s no doubt about the class act here – Touleen finished sixth in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket in May, and then a one-and-a-half length second in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot after running into traffic problems in the straight.
William Buick replaces Saffie Osborne in the saddle today and she is definitely the one to beat, although this is her first start in an all-aged contests and there is not a huge amount of pace in the race. That’s a slight concern given her hold-up running style, but she still has a few pounds to spare on the ratings and also has more scope for progress than most of her opponents.
The obvious danger is Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Kon Tiki, fourth home in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at the Royal meeting.
Timeform top-rated: Touleen.
SELECTION: TOULEEN.
KING GEORGE CONTENDER: KALPANA
Age: 5. Career: 16 races, 7 wins. Group One wins: 2. Trainer: Andrew Balding. Timeform rating: 123
Andrew Balding’s five-year-old has been a regular on open Group One company for a couple of seasons now, although her two wins at the highest level have both come in the Group One Fillies & Mares’ event on Champions Day here in October.
Her best run, though, was arguably in the King George last year, when she was just a length behind Calandagan.
That form puts here bang there today and Balding’s stable remains in rude form, having had a winner on the card already with Moonrise.
2.00 YORK RESULT: GAMBLE LANDED BY STRATUSNINE
1. STRATUSNINE 100-30 fav, 2. Coul Angel, 3. Air Force One, 4. Veblen Good. 21 ran.
Off and running in the 2.00 at York …
Stratusnine away fast in the centre, plenty of pace far side too, Evening Blues well there on the far rail,
Two out, Red Spells Danger making ground, Eternal Sunshine finishing well …
Still Stratusnine leads, drifting left but hanging on to win as the 100-30 favourite …
At the post – indeed, starting to go in – for the Dash handicap at York, and Stratusnine has emerged as the favourite at 7-2, ahead of Red Spells Danger at 4-1.
Ballydoyle blues – is O’Brien’s current form a worry?
Having looked at the form for Aidan O’Brien’s main King George contenders, here’s something that punters might like to bear in mind that landed from the venerable Timeform organisation earlier this week.
The sages of Halifax pointed out that O’Brien’s “run-to-form” percentage in July – which ranks a horse’s performance compared to its pre-race rating – is at its lowest point since the metric was introduced in 2012. The 2026 Flat season as a whole is also O’Brien’s worst – so far – since 2012.
“With Aidan O’Brien’s ‘Run to Form’ percentage for the season currently at 54, it’s the lowest by at least five percent since we started publishing the figures,” Kieran Clark, Timeform’s senior analyst, said earlier this week.
“This is obviously a concern with major targets on the horizon for some of his stable stars in the next week and it’ll be interesting to see how those to have already run this month fare next time, particularly if the form of the yard has improved by then.”
2.00 YORK, SKY BET DASH HANDICAP, 6F
A field of 21 sprinters stretched across the track in the absence of Fivethousandtoone, but the edge for low-numbered stalls is, if anything, even stronger over six furlongs than it is over five and the single-digit boxes are generally the place to be.
Pace is a big asset too, and with Evening Blues, Pocklington and Eternal Sunshine drawn in one, two and three respectively, the far side could well have the advantage throughout. Red Spells Danger, from 11, is close enough to the likely pace to make an impact, and a similar comment applies to Stratusnine, from nine, but I’m going to side with Evening Blues, who was much-improved for a big drop from nine furlongs to six in a similar contest here four weeks ago, and showed enough speed to get some useful sprinters out of their comfort zone before being headed well inside the final furlong.
Timeform top-rated: Air Force One.
SELECTION: EVENING BLUES.
KING GEORGE CONTENDER: MINNIE HAUK
Age: 4. Career: 11 races, 6 wins. Group One wins: 3. Trainer: Aidan O’Brien. Timeform rating: 127
The second-string in Aidan O’Brien’s challenge for this year’s race according to the jockey bookings, but Wayne Lordan has already enjoyed plenty of Group One success since replacing Seamie Heffernan as the go-to No.2 at Ballydoyle and Minnie Hauk is another big contender to add to his haul.
She reeled off three consecutive Group One wins last summer including the Oaks and Irish Oaks, before rounding off her three-year-old season with a close second behind Daryz in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
She has been beaten in Group Ones on her last two starts but her second behind Ombudsman over 10 furlongs at the Royal meeting was a big step forward after she was only fifth of seven at odds-on for the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh in May. If back to her Arc-second best, she will be a danger to all.
1.45 ASCOT RESULT: MOONRISE SHINES IN PRINCESS MARGARET
1. MOONRISE 11-2, 2. Dee’s Funny Girl, 3. Velozee. 11 ran.
More money for Dark Issue, she’s in to 5-2 … and they’re off and running in the Princess Margaret Stakes …
They split into two groups, Glorious Game leads near side, Moonrise prominent towards the middle of the track …
A furlong out, Moonrise leads, here come the challengers, Dee’s Funny Girl finishing fast from the rear … but Moonrise holds on for the win at 11-2, Dark Issue was a disappointment.
On the way to post for the Princess Margaret, Richard Hannon’s Dark Issue has emerged as a clear favourite at around 100-30, with Moonrise and Alta Regina next in at 5-1.
KING GEORGE CONTENDER: BENVENUTO CELLINI
Age: 3. Career: 7 races, 4 wins. Group One wins: 1. Trainer: Aidan O’Brien. Timeform rating: 124p
The Irish Derby winner is the standard-bearer for the Classic generation in this year’s King George, having followed up his run-that-wasn’t in the Derby at Epsom – when he trailed home in mid-division but was deemed a non-runner after getting his leg briefly caught on the stalls – with a decisive success at the Curragh.
Ryan Moore takes the ride, which suggests that Benvenuto Cellini is the first-string in Aidan O’Brien’s team, and the trainer is looking for a fifth win in the race, and also his first since Highland Reel in 2016.
YORK 1.30 RESULT: LATE SHOW FROM THRILLER
1. KODIAC THRILLER 17-2, 2. Sports Coach 9-2, 3. Managing Director 6-1. 17 ran.
Off and running in the 1.30 at York …
Flying start by Mon Na Slieve, also Managing Director …
Far side has the best of it, Managing Director from Mon Na Slieve …
Here come’s Mon Na Slieve, Kodiac Thriller too, Kodiac Thriller has got there, beating Sports Coach … Jamie Hamilton takes out the Jump Jockeys’ Nunthorpe from stall two.
They are at the post for the Jump Jockeys’ Nunthorpe at York, and starting to go into the stalls. Lethal Nymph is the favourite at 3-1, with Sports Coach at 9-2 and Mon Na Slieve at 11-2.
1.45 ASCOT, PRINCESS MARGARET STAKES, GROUP THREE, 2YO FILLIES, 6F
All but three of the 11 runners here were in action in one of the juvenile events at the Royal meeting last month, including the overnight favourite, Dark Issue, who was fourth home – and three lengths clear of the fifth – in the Albany Stakes over this trip.
Alta Regina has been attracting support today too, having looked more than ready for this step up to six furlongs when coming home sixth in the five-furlong Queen Mary Stakes with another of today’s runner, Velozee, in eighth.
The form of the Windsor Castle Stakes could be highly relevant too, as the race was upped from five furlongs to six this year. Moonrise, a 66-1 outsider, was a half-length second in that race, with Harlequin Sky in third, it’s here from 5m56sec.
I’ve sided with the Albany form and Dark Issue, but this is a very open renewal.
Timeform top-rated: Dark Issue.
SELECTION: DARK ISSUE.
The first race here at Ascot was won by the favourite, Never Enough, from the Ed Walker stable, and he is now a 33-1 shot (from 100-1) for the Gimcrack Stakes at York next month with Paddy Power.
And now it’s almost time to get the ITV Racing show on the road, with the …
1.30 YORK, “JUMP JOCKEYS’ NUNTHORPE” HANDICAP, 5F
An annual novelty event which gives some of the country’s top jump jockeys a chance to blitz their way down the five-furlong sprint track on the Knavesmire, and probably best left alone for betting purposes as a result.
That said, though, there are some basic rules to follow when looking for a sprint winner at York, where front-runners and low-numbered stalls have a significant edge on closers and horses drawn high. Kevin Ryan’s Mon Na Slieve is one of the speediest runners in the field and he’s got an ideal pitch near the far rail in stall one, so at 6-1, there may be little need to look much further.
Timeform top-rated: Lethal Nymph.
SELECTION: MON NA SLIEVE.
KING GEORGE CONTENDER: MASQUERADE BALL
Age: 4. Career: 9 races, 4 wins. Group One wins: 1. Trainer: Takahisa Tezuka. Timeform rating: 129
As noted in the form profile of Calandagan, the ratings suggest that it will take a new career-best to lower the favourite’s colours today and Japan’s best turf horse is, on paper at least, the likeliest contender to find the necessary improvement.
He has just one Group One win to his name so far, but that came in the Autumn Tenno Sho, one of Japan’s most prestigious events, last November.
He was then just a head behind Calandagan having set off as the favourite for the Japan Cup, when he was the only horse to give the winner a serious race.
Takahisa Tezuka’s four-year-old has had just one race since, when second to the Hong Kong-based superstar Romantic Warrior at Sha Tin over 10 furlong in April.
The step back up to a mile-and-a-half should suit Masquerade Ball, and Tezuka reported after he had exercised in Newmarket earlier this week that his runner has improved “both mentally and physically” from three to four. If so, he looks more than ready to run a huge race this afternoon in an attempt to become the first Japanese-trained King George winner.
KING GEORGE CONTENDER: CALANDAGAN
Age: 5. Career: 17 races, 10 wins. Group One wins: 6. Trainer: Francis-Henri Graffard. Timeform rating: 133
There will not be much time to pause for breath once the ITV Racing programme is underway so this is a good moment to run through some of the main contenders for the big race, and last year’s King George winner is the only place to start.
He finished the 2025 campaign as the world’s top-rated racehorse, 2lb in front of five others that raced at various trips, including today’s rival, Masquerade Ball.
His subsequent win in the Japan Cup, with Masquerade Ball a head away in second, capped an extraordinary season for Francis-Henri Graffard, his trainer, who also took the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Daryz and ended the year as France’s champion trainer for the first time.
The current 13-8 favourite for today’s big race is on a run of six wins in seven starts, all at the highest level, with the only blip being his fourth-of-six on rain-softened ground in the Coronation Cup at Epsom in June.
But he bounced back to winning form in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud last time out:
… and the bottom line is that Calandagan is richly-talented, tough and dependable, and it is likely to need a career-best from one of his rivals to stop him winning a second successive King George.
Preamble
Welcome to Ascot for one of the grand occasions of the racing year – King George day, featuring the most valuable and prestigious all-aged Group One of the British season.
The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, to give it its full title, is a relative youngster on the Ascot programme, having been first staged in 1951 (all of 144 years after the first Gold Cup in 1807). But it swiftly became a fixture in the top-level racing programme, with the second and third runnings both won by that year’s Derby winner – Tulyar in 1952 and Pinza in 1953 – and many, in fact most, of the true middle-distance greats since then are on the roll of honour. Ribot, Nijinsky, Mill Reef, Brigadier Gerard, Shergar, Dancing Brave, Mtoto … the list goes on and on, and there was, of course, also the Race of the Century when Grundy saw off Bustino after an epic tussle down the straight in 1975.
That said, however, the King George has struggled to maintain its consistent, unmissable quality since the turn of the century, and has fallen well behind its French equivalent, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October, in terms of prize money and, if we’re honest about it, prestige.
It is a situation that Ascot is determined to address – or redress – and the prize money is an obvious place to start. This year’s race is worth £2m and next year it will be up to £2.5m, and the initiative has had an immediate reward in terms of the quality of this year’s field.
It is, quite simply, the best King George for at least 20 years, with seven previous Group One winners in a field of nine and the two top-rated middle-distance horses in the world last year – Calandagan, last year’s winner, and Masquerade Ball, Japan’s top turf horse – heading the market.
It is the highlight of a card that also includes the Princess Margaret Stakes for juvenile fillies at 1.45 and the ever-popular International Stakes Handicap over seven furlongs at 2.55, while the ITV cameras will also be rolling for three races at York including the Group Two York Stakes at 2.35.
Picks for the seven ITV races are here, and all the news, views, betting moves and more will be here on the blog – along with closer looks at the main King George contenders – as we head towards the feature race at 3.35. The first race here at Ascot is a maiden at 1.10, but the meat of the card is underway at 1.45 and ITV’s coverage is off and running with the Jump Jockeys’ Nunthorpe at 1.30.
