*All times BST.
It’s King George weekend and you couldn’t have wished for a better race with top-class runners from England, Ireland, Japan and France taking each other on in Ascot’s marquee contest. A full runner-by-runner preview of that race, and notes on the Princess Margaret, can be found here or by following the link at the end of this piece.
There are a couple of exciting races on the undercard, with the 17-runner International handicap (14:55) sure to produce a Stakes class performer or two in time. The unbeaten Extremely Zain heads the market for William Haggas, who is having something of a moderate season by his high standards but excels with this type. He faces another big improver in Mezcala, who showed a wicked turn of foot to win the Buckingham Palace Stakes over this course and distance at Royal Ascot last time out. Amazing Journey and Completely Random, who looked unlucky in the Wokingham Stakes last time, are both stepping up in distance from sprints but are on upwards curves and should run bold races.
Earlier on the card, Touleen should be well up to landing the Group 3 Valiant Stakes at 14:20. This girl was most unlucky in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, finding every gap closing on her, and looks a cut above her opposition.
Over at York we kick off with the ‘Jump Jockeys’ Nunthorpe’ (13:30), a race for steeplechase jockeys as the name suggests. Usually seen racing over 2 miles or more, this will be a very different test for these pilots given this contest is run over five furlongs. Very much a novelty race, and not one to bet in.
The latter comment also arguably applies to the following contest, the Skybet Dash (14:00). This is run over a furlong further and with regular flat jockeys, but with 22 runners and the bookmakers betting 5/1 the field, it is a devilishly difficult puzzle to solve.
The Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes looks a slightly easier race to understand. Item returns to the scene of his Dante win having bombed out in the Derby, but he may have been flattered by that victory having raced on the best part of the track. He faces some very talented rivals here, including Royal Champion, who won this in dominant fashion last year before going on to Group 1 glory. He carries a 5lb penalty for that win but most recently finished just 2.75 lengths behind the brilliant Romantic Warrior in Hong Kong. Damysus and Pride Of Arras, who finished 1-2 in the 2025 Dante, both looks to return to winning ways, while Dancing Gemini gets some welcome class relief.
On Sunday, the Listed Pomfret Stakes provides the admirable Holloway Boy an opportunity to return to winning ways. Well drawn around this tight track, he should get a lovely toe into the race dropping in class having run lights out in Group 2 company last time out.
Finally, over in Germany we have the Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis. This will likely be a contender for the worst Group 1 race run in Europe this season, and may rest between Nashville Derby winner Wimbledon Hawkeye and Canadian International winner Silawi.
Horse To Watch
Sierra Belle looked a filly of serious potential on debut and should open her account in the 18:15 at Salisbury this Saturday. This daughter of Frankel is in very capable hands and is bred to be good, as you’d expect of one carrying the Juddmonte colours.
Race Of The Weekend
Undoubtedly the King George. You can read a horse-by-horse preview of the race at https://inthemoneypodcast.com/king-george-ascot-win-youre-in-previews-by-steven-bonnick/
