King George Racing Weekend 2026: Schedule, races and what to expect at Ascot
All you need to know about King George Racing Weekend 2026 at Ascot, including key dates, the main races, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and how to watch on TV in the UK
Ascot hosts one of the highlights of the British Flat racing calendar this weekend as King George Racing Weekend returns on Friday, July 24, and Saturday, July 25.
Headlined by the prestigious King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the two-day event sees elite Group racing combined with one of the biggest social occasions of the summer, where people from up and down the country descend on the world-famous Ascot for two days.
The King George is now officially Britain’s richest horse race, with an increased £2 million prize fund to play for, as many of Europe’s leading trainers and jockeys in action.
Whether you’re planning a day at the racecourse or simply following the action from home, here’s everything you need to know ahead of King George Racing Weekend 2026.
When is King George Racing Weekend 2026?
King George Racing Weekend takes place over two days:
- Friday, July 24, 2026
- Saturday, July 25, 2026
Both cards feature high-quality Flat racing, but Saturday’s programme is the clear centrepiece thanks to the running of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
The meeting attracts some of the biggest names in British, Irish and European racing every year and is widely regarded as one of the final major stepping stones before the late-summer festivals at York and Goodwood.
What is the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes?
The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is one of Europe’s premier Group 1 horse-racing events.
Running over one mile and four furlongs, the event sees the best three-year-olds and older horses compete in open competition, long renowned as one of the defining middle-distance contests of the season.
For 2026, Ascot has increased the race’s prize fund to £2 million, making it the richest horse race in Britain and further enhancing its status on the international racing calendar.
Many previous winners have gone on to compete in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe later in the year, adding further motivation to participants in the European Flat racing season.
What races take place during King George Weekend?
While the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes naturally dominates attention, the meeting features a number of other high-class races across both days that racing fans will want to keep a close eye on.
Friday offers up a strong opening card with several competitive handicaps and Pattern races. Saturday’s programme then includes supporting contests featuring many of the sport’s leading sprinters, milers and staying horses.
As always at Ascot, racegoers can expect competitive fields, quality prize money and plenty of future Group race contenders throughout the weekend this July.
Why is King George Weekend one of the highlights of the Flat season?
Few race meetings combine sporting quality and atmosphere quite like the King George Weekend, which is what makes it such a popular event.
This comes at a crucial part of the season as many trainers will use Ascot races to test their best horses against elite opposition ahead of the various major festivals later in the year.
The event also offers one of the country’s finest racing experiences for fans of the sport, with Ascot’s immaculate facilities, stylish enclosures and vibrant atmosphere make it one of the nation’s premier sporting venues, while the quality of racing ensures strong interest from punters throughout the weekend.
Those looking ahead to the action can also follow the latest King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes odds, horse racing predictions and the best horse racing betting sites before declarations are finalised.
How can you watch King George Racing Weekend?
King George Racing Weekend will be shown live in the UK, with extensive television coverage across both days.
The King George Racing Weekend will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing for full coverage, while ITV will provide free-to-air coverage of Saturday’s main races.
Sky Sports Racing will shows every single race live across the entire weekend, while ITV1 will offer free-to-air terrestrial coverage on Saturday, July 25, 2026, from 1:15pm to 4:05pm BST.
Which horses will headline the meeting?
The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is once again expected to attract many of Europe’s leading middle-distance performers.
The mid-summer showpiece will be headlined by an eye-catching international rematch between defending champion Calandagan and Japanese superstar Masquerade Ball. Then there is Goliath, the 2024 race winner who adds profound depth to the formidable French contingent.
With a record prize fund on offer, connections have even greater incentive to target Ascot, and the race could have a major bearing on the shape of the remainder of the Flat season.
