2022 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Betting Preview

Published 2022/07/08

2022 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Betting Preview

The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes is the midsummer highlight of the Flat season in the UK.

Wonderful horses like Dancing Brave, Nashwan, Galileo and three-times scorer Enable have graced the Ascot turf by cementing their position in horse racing history.

This season’s renewal looks vintage, even in spite of the absence of Derby hero Desert Crown. The King George betting markets would, however, suggest it’s going to be a stunning clash between Emily Upjohn and Westover.

But this is a race that can never be accurately called – such is its consistent strength in depth.

Here, we provide a full and concise evaluation of each horse bidding for glory in one of the greatest and most historical races of the Flat campaign:

King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes - the Main Contenders:

Westover (Ralph Beckett)

Odds: 11/10

The Frankel colt was the forgotten horse in the Derby, having been off the track since April when winning the Sandown Classic Trial by a short head. Yet despite his big price, Westover produced a blinding performance to take third spot.

He would have easily finished second with a cleaner run and has since rubber-stamped the form with a runaway triumph in the Irish Derby. Would he have defeated Desert Crown at Epsom had he not been stopped in his tracks? The jury is very much out. But with no Desert Crown in the line-up, the stage is set for another stellar performance.

Emily Upjohn (John Gosden)

Odds: 2/1

The three-year-old daughter of Sea The Stars was, for a generation, one of the unluckiest losers of the Oaks at Epsom in June. Despite having stumbled at the start, the way she bounded into contention from an improbable position was mildly staggering. To have only been beaten a short head by Tuesday was a mighty performance and clearly showed she was a filly of the highest order.

Westover represents a willing nemesis, but she gets weight from Ralph Beckett’s inmate in a race in which fillies have long had an excellent record. Be that as it may, she will need to step up once again to give the hot favourite a serious run for his dough.

Mishriff (John & Thady Gosden)

Odds: 5/1

The three-time Group 1 winner and last year’s runner-up looked set for world domination after winning the Juddmonte Stakes at York last August. Things have not been straightforward since then, though, with a strange run in last year’s Champions Stakes at Ascot compounded by a no-show in the Saudi Cup.

Those who kept the faith, however, were nearly rewarded in the Eclipse at Sandown when he was a slightly unfortunate runner-up to Vadeni. He’s clearly back in a happy place right now and arrives at Ascot very much under the radar. If the big two aren’t firing, he’ll be there to pick up the pieces - despite the burden of having to carry 9st 9lb.

Torquator Tasso (Marcel Weiss)

Odds: 7/1 What a curveball contender for the King George. His win in last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp was greeted with much cynicism given he was sent on his way at odds of 72/1. The sense that it was a stunning fluke was underscored when he was defeated by 18 lengths upon his return. But then he turned up at Hamburg on July 2 and destroyed a strong field without breaking sweat.

He’s impossible to assess with any degree of accuracy, but he has won the greatest race in the world. Expect his odds to plunge if Ascot is subject to an absolute deluge of rainfall.

Broome (Aidan O’Brien)

Odds: 12/1

He’s been a solid yardstick across all continents, but lacks the class of Desert Crown and Westover. That said, he’s a much stronger horse than the one that finished a laboured fourth in this race last year. He was ultra-dominant in the Hardwicke Stakes over this course and distance at Royal Ascot and is more than capable of playing a major each-way role. He, therefore, looks overpriced when it comes to checking out the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth II Stakes odds.

Alenquer (William Haggas)

Odds: 14/1

His last run can be stricken from the record as the ground was way too quick for him in the Eclipse at Sandown. Before that, however, he looked a serious machine when winning the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh with any amount in hand.

The key to this horse is the ground. If there is plenty of cut underneath, he will be heavily backed to fill the minor placings.

Pyledriver (William Muir)

Odds: 16/1

Popular winner of the Coronation Cup at Epsom last year, but he has had a troubled year – even though he was unlucky in this season’s renewal of the Group 1.

Likes it Ascot, but has an awful lot on his plate to trouble the judge in this company.

Stone Age (Aidan O’Brien)

Odds: 20/1 Chalked up as the ante-post favourite for Derby at Epsom after winning the oft-informative trial at Leopardstown in cigar-and-slipper mode. He looked uneasy beforehand, though, and bombed in the big race – beaten over 11 lengths by Desert Crown.

Even though he is trained by a master, it’s very, very difficult to see him reversing the Derby form.

Addeybb (William Haggas) Odds: 20/1

An absolute credit to connections, having won a hatful of Group 1 races across the world. Not the force of old, though, it would seem, and he’s now eight years old. He will unquestionably run his race, but this looks beyond him – even if the ground does get heavy.

The Verdict:

WESTOVER should win – and he should win well. Put simply, he has every single attribute that is required to claim glory in the midsummer highlight of the Flat campaign.

Fans of Westover will suggest the Frankel colt was awfully unlucky in the Derby. That is an argument that holds sway, though only to a certain extent. Desert Crown was never once off the bridle at Epsom and won with hands-and-heels riding.

But it was the way in which he ripped through a reasonable field in the Irish Derby that will give his supporters the greatest cause for optimism. Emily Upjohn is clearly a fantastic filly, and is sure to be popular. Westover, however, now looks pretty much bombproof following his dominance at the Curragh and should have the physical strength to get home where it matters the most.

King George each-way backers could, though, do a lot worse than supporting BROOME. He has continually been underrated during a globe-trotting career and looks now to be reaching his prime. He looks a major player in the King George betting.

So now you have a flavour of how the race might develop, why not have a bet on the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes?

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