Just one month after Royal Ascot, racing returns to the Berkshire course as the QIPCO King George weekend gets underway today.
Eight races take place on an action-packed at Ascot, including the Moet & Chandon International Stakes and Longines Valiant Stakes, though the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes will be the highlight of the weekend, with the prestigious crown up for grabs at 3.40pm.
The 1m4f race, which takes place over 12 furlongs, is exciting as ever in 2024 as Auguste Rodin heads the market on horse racing betting sites to grab the seventh Group 1 win of his career.
Aidan O’Brien’s colt was last seen winning the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, and he will face stiff competition from Rebel’s Romance, who has won his last three races abroad.
11 horses hold entries ahead of the final declarations on Thursday, 25 July, with Bluestocking, Continuous and Luxembourg rounding off the top-five favourites.
Longines Valiant Stakes tip
Sirona has finished third, second and fifth in her three races since changing trainer to David Menuisier at the start of the year, and though her most recent finish was her worst in terms of position, the strength of her opponents made it her most impressive result to date.
This makes her the in-form horse in the Longines Valiant Stakes, and conditions could improve for her with any rain ahead of today.
Though she is a little older than others in the race, this round course can suit older types, as it did last year when a five-year-old, Random Harvest, recovered from a sixth-placed finish in Newmarket to win.
Sirona is available at 6/1 on betting apps to win the Longines Valiant Stakes, making her the fifth favourite, though an each-way bet is also a safer choice for a horse on this type of form.
Moet & Chandon International Stakes tip
With three wins from his six starts for David O’Meara, New Image looks promising on turf, having won a seven-furlong handicap at Musselburgh on 1 June.
He finished third in a competitive field in York last time out, and has finished strongly in all of his last three outings.
A third race with Mark Winn, on a straight course at Ascot, could provide a perfect opportunity for a landmark win.
New Image is 16/1 to win the Moet & Chandon International Stakes and an each way bet could offer good value in a strongly run race.
King George Weekend prediction 2: New Image (each-way) @ 16/1 BoyleSports
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes tip
Auguste Rodin is the favourite with all established bookmakers and new betting sites after bouncing back to win the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, but Saturday’s result really depends on which version of the colt turns up.
His results have shown good performances, bad performances and mixed showings, but many will remember him coming home in last place in this race last year.
And with a win last time out, will he be able to maintain his positive form?
On the other hand, Rebel’s Romance has won 13 of his 19 starts, including his last three races abroad (the last of which was at Sha Tin in Hong Kong).
His reliability at this level means he may be a better choice than Auguste Rodin at shorter odds, even if the latter’s form is better. So can Godolphin’s horse make it five in a row?
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