Horse Racing: A Look at the History of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes

Here is a closer look at the history of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes horse race, which you can place a wager on right now on trusted South African online casino and sports betting platforms such as the official 10Bet South Africa iGaming site. 

A brief history of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes horse race

The first-ever running of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes race occurred on July 21, 1951. This inaugural running was called the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Festival of Britain Stakes before being renamed to what everyone knows it as today. 

The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is one of the most famous horse races on the UK racing calendar. It’s a Group 1 flat/thoroughbred race open to horses aged three years old or above that runs over a distance of 2,406 metres (1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards. 

Great Britain’s most prestigious open-age flat race, which is often informally referred to as ‘King George,’ is scheduled to take place each year in July at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England, on a turf surface (right-handed track), and it often features some of the sport’s most notable horses and jockeys. 

The race was initially created due to the result of a consolidation of two separate Ascot races that were first established in 1946 (named after King George) and 1948 (named in honour of his wife, Queen Elizabeth). 

The race was not initially sponsored until 1972, at which point it entered into a multi-year sponsorship deal with diamond company De Beers. In 1975, Queen Elizabeth II gave permission for the race to be called the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes. De Beers sponsored the race right up until 2006. 

The latest edition of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is scheduled to take place on July 26, 2025. 

Where can I bet on the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and who is the favourite?

If you are aged 18 or above, live in South Africa, and want to bet on the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, your safest option by far is the legally permitted 10bet horse racing betting site, which is fully licensed and regulated locally by the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator.

Here is a quick look at the latest average odds for some of this year’s runners in the King George at Ascot:

• Betting market: King George outright winner 2025: Horse: Jan Brueghel. Odds: 2.75 (decimal odds). Implied probability rate (IPR): 36.40%
• Betting market: King George outright winner 2025: Horse: Calandagan. Odds: 2.75. IPR: 36.40%
• Betting market: King George outright winner 2025: Horse: Kalpana. Odds: 5.50. IPR: 18.20%
• Betting market: King George outright winner 2025: Horse: Rebel’s Romance. Odds: 6.50. IPR: 15.40%
• Betting market: King George outright winner 2025: Horse: Continuous. Odds: 151.00. IPR: 0.70%

Most successful jockeys, horses, trainers, and owners

The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is Great Britain’s second richest horse race, with an average purse of around £1,000,000.00. In 2011, the race became part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series, and the winner of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes now earns an automatic invitation to compete in that same year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf race. 

Through the race’s history, the most successful horse was called Enable, who picked up victories in 2017, 2019, and 2020. Lester Piggott and Frankie Dettori are the two leading jockeys, both with seven individual wins. Michael Tabor (6 wins) is the most successful owner, and Sir Michael Stoute (also 6 wins) is the most successful trainer.

Which other major horse races are still to come in 2025?

Don’t worry if you missed your chance to place a wager on the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes because there are still plenty more major horse racing events to come. 

For example, from October 4-5 at Longchamps in Paris, France, you have the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and then on October 18 in Sydney, Australia, at the Royal Randwick Racecourse, it’s The Everest – also known as the ‘Richest Race on Turf.’

You also have the Breeders’ Cup in San Diego, California, at Del Mar from October 31 to November 1, and then from November 1-8, it’s the Melbourne Cup Carnival in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on the Flemington Racecourse. 

Some of the other upcoming UK horse races to look forward to over the next few months are the Glorious Goodwood Festival on the Goodwood Racecourse from July 29 to August 2, the York Ebor Festival from August 20-23 at York Racecourse, and the Summer Celebration Saturday at Sandown Park on August 30. 

Final thoughts

If you decide to place a wager on any of these major upcoming horse races, always remember to stick to betting on trusted sites like 10Bet, which specifically caters to the South African market. 

Do plenty of research before placing a bet, and try to avoid placing too many outsider bets. Also, never think of betting on the horses as a way to make a living. 

Finally, never borrow money or take out financial loans to place bets on horse races, and always consider devising some kind of sensible spending budget before betting. Doing so keeps things safe and fun and will ensure that you never spend more than you can afford.