A field of six classy runners for the King George 2022 will battle in Ascot’s midsummer highlight after all five-day entries were confirmed as final declarations for the feature 1m 4f Group 1 event on Saturday, 23 July (3:35).
Despite a small field for the headline race of King George weekend, the betting took plenty of shakes up within the final 10 days before the race. A setback last week for Epsom Derby winner Desert Crown ruled him out of taking on his elders for the first time here.
Although Sir Michael Stoute’s new stable star is a notable absentee, there’s also an initially unintended runner in the mix. That is none other than Emily Upjohn, an unlucky runner-up in the Epsom Oaks who saw her flight to the Emerald Isle for the Irish Oaks last weekend cancelled.
Despite an enforced change of target, we still have the Classic generation represented. Joining Emily Upjohn among remaining runners for the King George 2022 is Irish Derby hero Westover. Ralph Beckett’s charge heads the betting for this contest. Here, SportsLens experts look all six still in the running.
RELATED: Get the lowdown on Ascot races today in our complete course guide.
Runners for King George 2022 – Pros and Cons
WESTOVER @ 6/4 with LiveScore Bet
- Trainer: Ralph Beckett
- Jockey: Colin Keane
- Age: 3
- Rating: 120
- Weight: 8st 12lb
- Form: 122-131
Pros: Comes to Ascot off the back of a facile Irish Derby victory last time out after staying on strongly into third in the Epsom Downs races equivalent. Westover remains unexposed at this trip after just two outings over a mile-and-a-half.
Cons: Colin Keane is in the saddle again but seldom rides at Ascot. Westover isn’t guaranteed to get a strong pace here in what could be a tactical race. Stamina, rather than a turn of foot, looks his greatest asset. The Irish Derby form took a knock, meanwhile, when runner-up Piz Badile trailed in last of six for the Grand Prix de Paris.
EMILY UPJOHN @ 3/1 with LiveScore Bet
- Trainers: John and Thady Gosden
- Jockey: Frankie Dettori
- Age: 3
- Rating: 117
- Weight: 8st 9lb
- Form:1-112
Pros: Emily Upjohn is the least exposed runner in the field after just the four career starts. More to come as well over this distance after stepping up to it and almost landing a Classic last time out. Emily Upjohn gets weight all-round, and a whole stone from the older horses, for a yard with five wins in the race since 2011.
Cons: This was not the plan. Gosden senior said he respected both the big name three-year-old colts, but Desert Crown’s loss could be a gain for Emily Upjohn. Regular jockey Frankie Dettori freely admitted this year’s Royal Ascot was his worst in 30+ years. He needs to ride the track much better here.
The beloved Italian rider was beaten on red-hot odds-on favourite Inspiral in a Newmarket races fillies and mares’ Group 1 during the July Festival earlier this month. There’s no less pressure here with race terms entirely favouring Emily Upjohn.
MISHRIFF @ 3/1 with LiveScore Bet
- Trainers: John and Thady Gosden
- Jockey: James Doyle
- Age: 5
- Rating: 125
- Weight: 9st 9lb
- Form: 431/21118/113214-02
Pros: An unlucky loser of the Coral-Eclipse, the summertime feature of Sandown Park races when last in action, Mishriff is a globetrotter who tops official ratings among runners for the King George this year. He’s also 1-2 at the trip and was staying on close home last time out.
Cons: Mishriff is best over a mile-and-a-quarter. He failed to give weight for age in this race to Adayar when runner-up here 12 months ago. The Gosdens didn’t have a jockey for Mishriff either with Dettori on Emily Upjohn and David Egan ending his retained rider arrangement with owner Prince Faisal.
James Doyle now gets the leg-up for the first time. He won the King George on Poet’s Word in 2018 and has history with the yard. Doyle was the regular pilot of superstar miler Kingman, but has been a retained rider for Godolphin in the UK in recent years. He’s had just the one sit on Mishriff on the Newmarket gallops in midweek.
TORQUATO TASSO @ 17/2 with LiveScore Bet
- Trainer: Marcel Weiss
- Jockey: Rene Piechulek
- Age: 5
- Rating: N/A
- Weight: 9st 9lb
- Form: 412312/61211-61
Pros: Any horse who won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Europe’s richest race, even as a rank outsider on top betting sites, commands respect. Torquato Tasso is a strong stayer, like Westover, at this trip and clearly the best horse in training in Germany right now.
Cons: Although he’s won with good in the going description, this is set to be the firmest ground this horse has ever encountered. There is also the fact that Torquator Tasso has finished second on his third start after a break on three occasions. Neither his trainer or jockey are regulars at Ascot either.
PYLEDRIVER @ 22/1 with LiveScore Bet
- Trainers: William Muir and Chris Grassick
- Jockey: PJ McDonald
- Age: 5
- Rating: 119
- Weight: 9st 9lb
- Form: 1417/210137/2112-042
Pros: A previous course and distance winner, Pyledriver usually comes on for his first run after a break. He has often belied market expectations on horse racing betting sites and landed races as an underdog at double figure odds.
Cons: PJ McDonald has ridden Pyledriver before, but is a remote third-choice for the job. Regular jockey Martin Dwyer sits the season out with a serious injury, while Dettori must ride Emily Upjohn for his stable. The plucky Pyledriver brings form to the table that simply isn’t as strong as the competition.
BROOME @ 14/1 with LiveScore Bet
- Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- Jockey: Ryan Moore
- Age: 6
- Rating: 117
- Weight: 9st 9lb
- Form: 51622/1146/40/11122142020-51
Pros: Another previous course and distance victor, Broome landed the Hardwicke Stakes at the royal meeting last time out. On his day, this Irish raider in Japanese part-ownership with “the lads” of Coolmore, is very good. Broome will also love the sound surface.
Cons: This year’s Hardwicke looks nothing like as strong form at this stage as last season. Broome was only fourth and way behind Mishriff in this race 12 months ago too. He’s the most exposed of the runners in the King George 2022 and clearly vulnerable to younger, improving horses like Emily Upjohn and Westover.
2022 King George Odds & Runners Probability of Winning
| King George Horse | Latest Odds | Win Probability | Bookmaker |
| WESTOVER | 6/4 | 40% |  |
| EMILY UPJOHN | 3/1 | 25% | |
| MISHRIFF | 3/1 | 25% | |
| TORQUATO TASSO | 17/2 | 9.5% | |
| BROOME | 14/1 | 6.7% | |
| PYLEDRIVER | 22/1 | 4.5% | |
All odds correct as of 08:20 BST on Saturday, 23 July 2022.
What Time Is The 2022 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes?
🕙Time: 15:35 BST (UK time)
📅Date: Saturday, 23rd July 2022
🏇Racecourse: Ascot
💰 Winner: £708,875
📺 TV: ITV, Sky Sports Racing
Ascot King George Trends and Stats
Now you know all about the runners for the King George 2022, here are some of the key stats and Ascot trends to follow:
- 12/12 – already distance winners
- 11/12 – last ran within 50 days
- 10/12 – had an official rating of 118+
- 10/12 – at least two runs that season
- 9/12 – won their previous start
- 9/12 – British trained runners
- 9/12 – already Group 1 winners
- 8/12 – four-year-olds or older
- 7/12 – top three in the betting
- 7/12 – had run at Ascot before
- 5/12 – trained by John Gosden
- 5/12 – already course winners
Recent Ascot King George Winners
- 2021 – Adayar (William Buick, Charlie Appleby) 9/4
- 2020 – Enable (Frankie Dettori, John Gosden) 4/9F
- 2019 – Enable (Frankie Dettori, John Gosden) 8/15F
- 2018 – Poet’s Word (James Doyle, Sir Michael Stoute) 7/4
- 2017 – Enable (Frankie Dettori, John Gosden) 5/4F
- 2016 – Highland Reel (Ryan Moore, Aidan O’Brien) 13/8F
- 2015 – Postponed (Andrea Atzeni, Luca Cumani) 6/1
- 2014 – Taghrooda (Paul Hanagan, John Gosden) 7/2
- 2013 – Novellist (Johnny Murtagh, Andreas Wohler) 13/2
- 2012 – Danedream (Andrasch Starke, Peter Schiergen) 9/1
- 2011 – Nathaniel (William Buick, John Gosden) 11/2
- 2010 – Harbinger (Olivier Peslier, Sir Michael Stoute) 4/1
Other Horse Racing Tips
Andrew Mount’s Horse Racing Tips
ITV Horse Racing Saturday Tips From Ascot and York
Today’s Placepot Tips From Ascot
Daily Each-Way Betting Tip
Today’s ITV Racing Lucky 15 Horse Racing Tips
Daily Horse Racing Betting Tips For ALL UK/Ire Meetings
Andrew Mount’s SpreadEx Analysis
Ascot King George Free Bets and Bookmaker Offers
Existing Customer Free Bets Today
Today’s Horse Racing NAP
Tony Calvin’s Saturday ITV Horse Racing Tips
Kevin Blake’s Saturday ITV Horse Racing Tips
Ascot King George Trends – Which Horse Ticks The Most Stats?
Ascot King George Runners Pros and Cons
Watch Adayar Win the 2021 King George at Ascot
Ascot King George Race Time and Schedule (Saturday, 23 July 2022)
- 1:50 – Princess Margaret Keeneland Stakes (Group 3) Cl1 (2yo fillies) 6f ITV
- 2:25 – Longines Valiant Stakes (Group 3) Cl1 (3yo+) 1m (round) ITV
- 3:00 – Moet & Chandon International Stakes (Heritage Handicap) Cl2 (3yo+) 7f ITV
- 3:35 – King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (Group 1) (British Champions Series) Cl1 (3yo+) 1m4f ITV
- 4:10 – Pat Eddery Stakes (Listed) (Formerly the Winkfield Stakes) Cl1 (2yo) 7f Sky
- 4:45 – Porsche Handicap Cl2 (3yo+ 0-105) 1m (straight) Sky
- 5:20 – Garrard Handicap Cl2 (3yo+) 5f Sky
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