The King George V Stakes is a handicap run over 1m4f. It takes place at 15:05 on Thursday 22nd June, which is the third day of Royal Ascot 2023. View the runners here, and also make sure to check out the odds and tips on offer for this race.

NO.DRAW
FORM

HORSE

ODDS

JOCKEY& TRAINER

AGE

WGT

RPR

5⁽²¹⁾

131-8

Desert Hero

J: Tom Marquand

T: William Haggas

8-13

111

Sole defeat from three starts as 2yo came in a Group 3; made a solid handicap/seasonal debut in the London Gold Cup at Newbury (1m2f, good; unraced on firmer) last month, making most and finishing eight of 14 but beaten only 3l; looks bred more for 1m4f and his dam's brother Dartmouth won the Group 2 Hardwicke over C&D; the best of him is still to come.

12⁽¹⁴⁾

051-67

Mr Mistoffelees

J: Sean Levey

T: Hughie Morrison

8-10

112

66-1 sixth of seven in the Group 3 Craven at Newmarket (1m, good) on reappearance; that earned him his opening mark when he never threatened to get in a serious blow in the London Gold Cup at Newbury (1m2f, good; 33-1) but he seemed to have running left in him at the end in that bunched finish; his claims are less obvious than most but he needs a second look.

9⁽¹⁾

624-44

Crackovia

J: Andrea Atzeni

T: Charlie Johnston

8-11

111

2-7 as 2yo, the first win on good to firm; not totally discredited when well-held fourth this season over 1m2f in a Listed race at Newmarket and Group 3 in Germany, but she needs much better than that and others have more striking potential.

18⁽²²⁾

51-434

Cloudbreaker

J: Kieran Shoemark

T: Charlie Fellowes

8-8

111

Irish Oaks entry; won a novice at Newmarket (7f, good to firm) last July on final start as 2yo; this season's minor honours in a novice, handicap and Listed race do not suggest she will be good enough even though she's due to go up another 4lb; tries new trip (sire gives hope) and headgear.

11⁽⁸⁾

34-21

Valiant King

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien

8-11

111

Entered in Irish Derby and Irish St Leger; showed promise on good ground last summer and stayed on strongly from off the pace, but a fraction too late, in handicap at Leopardstown (1m2f, heavy) on reappearance; no difficulty when 4-9 in maiden at Navan (1m2f, soft) on his only start since; into a hot race but he's a striking candidate for 1m4f.

19⁽²⁾

321-41

Double March

J: David Probert

T: S Woods

8-6

114

Close on good to firm on second 2yo start; back to turf with a bang in eight-runner handicap here (1m2f, soft) nearly six weeks ago, coming from off the pace to score comfortably; 7lb rise looks merited but she's not as stoutly bred as some in this.

4⁽¹¹⁾

135-12

Struth

J: Joe Fanning

T: Charlie Johnston

9-0

115

Won on good to firm on debut; won handicap at Chester (1m4f, soft) with what looked a strong-staying performance on reappearance and front-running second to yesterday's Queen's Vase second Saint George in a useful 14.5f handicap at Doncaster (good) over three weeks later; up another 4lb but finished clear of the third last time and is on the upgrade.

20⁽⁷⁾

557-01

Greysful Storm

J: Jason Watson

T: Darryll Holland

8-6

112

25-1, upped to 1m2f for handicap debut at Newbury (good; unraced on firmer) five weeks ago and led over 1f out to win easily, despite 16 rivals; 1m4f should be manageable and although she's been handed a 15lb rise, those in behind her have boosted the form on multiple occasions.

1⁽¹⁶⁾

21-21

Bertinelli

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O'Brien

9-9

104

112

Useful form on reappearance; built on that when winning his handicap debut at Newbury (1m2f, good; unraced on firmer) one month later, rather scraping home and in a bunched finish but that was the London Gold Cup which is so often a strong race; up 5lb but 1m4f is calling loudly now (his dam is sister to the 2018 Oaks winner) and he can make further improvement.

17⁽¹⁸⁾

414-P5

Sisyphus Strength

J: David Egan

T: Andrew Balding

8-8

110

Irish Oaks entry; reportedly lost her action on the testing ground when pulled up in the Cheshire Oaks (1m3f) on reappearance; returned to form when fifth of 11 in Listed race at Goodwood (1m2f, good) four weeks ago but needs to resume her 2yo improvement.

14⁽⁹⁾

71-60

Lieber Power

J: Harry Davies

T: Andrew Balding

8-9

111

Got up close home at Kempton (7f, AW) on second 2yo start; although his runs in a hot conditions stakes there (1m) and the London Cup at Newbury (1m2f, good) were both okay in form terms, he didn't beat many and they suggest limitations; may well stay; tongue-tie and cheekpieces are enlisted.

8⁽¹⁹⁾

02-1

Davideo

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Ralph Beckett

8-11

112

Big improvement through his three races; made all in a 13-runner maiden at Newmarket (1m2f, good; unraced on firmer) when reappearing five weeks ago, challenged but galloping on very stoutly and well on top; 1m4f looks sure to suit for this handicap debut.

7⁽¹²⁾

5-211

Wonder Legend

J: Daniel Muscutt

T: James Ferguson

8-13

114

Narrowly off the mark in battling style over 8.6f in April on his third attempt on AW; came smoothly from off the pace and strode well clear in 1m2f handicap at Doncaster (soft) late that month, since which he's been put up 13lb but he looked an exciting prospect and is likely to stay 1m4f.

3⁽¹³⁾

13-1

Tagabawa

J: William Buick

T: Charlie Appleby

9-2

113

Won the first of two AW novice races late last year; favourite, big step forward when scooting clear in a handicap at Kempton (1m4f, AW) in April, in just a four-runner race but the other three (headed by Maasai Mara) have bolstered the form; late foal with a smart pedigree, so lots of potential.

15⁽⁴⁾

90-212

Land Legend

J: Hollie Doyle

T: James Ferguson

8-8

113

Irish St Leger entry; gelded before winning smoothly on handicap debut at Newcastle (1m2f, AW) in March; came from well off the pace when second of 11 to yesterday's Queen's Vase third Chesspiece at York (1m4f, good) five weeks ago, continuing his steady improvement; up 2lb but could have his say.

10⁽⁵⁾

131

Burglar

J: Frankie Dettori

T: John & Thady Gosden

8-11

115

Well related, bred to get 1m4f; 10-11 but green when winning in February on debut; failed to find the improvement anticipated next time but it arrived with a pretty smooth win in novice at Redcar (1m2f, good to firm) late last month; this opening mark should be manageable at some stage soon.

NR⁽¹⁷⁾

5111

Gallerist

T: F-H Graffard

9-3

110

Made debut in February and has won the last three of his four starts; those wins were away from the Paris tracks but he ended up dominating on first two occasions and came from last to first in most taking style in a six-runner conditions event (1m4f, good to soft) on latest outing; unraced on good or firmer; among the top weights for this handicap debut in a top British race but he's been winning as if he had plenty in the tank.

13⁽¹⁵⁾

114

Duke Of Oxford

J: Dylan Browne McMonagle

T: Michael Bell

8-9

112

Won AW novice events at Chelmsford (1m2f) in March and Wolverhampton (1m4f; impressively) in April; 16-1, showed little in the Group 3 Chester Vase (1m4f, soft) another month on; early days but others look more obviously primed for a big run.

16⁽³⁾

182

Inquiring Minds

J: Benoit De La Sayette

T: John & Thady Gosden

8-8

115

Made debut at the start of May, winning by 5l at Newcastle (1m2f, AW); last of eight in Lingfield Derby Trial (1m4f, AW) 11 days later but then asked odds-on Perfuse some serious questions in a novice at Doncaster (1m4f, good to firm); has a 5lb pull for 2l with that rival and should still be capable of better.

6⁽¹⁰⁾

211

Perfuse

J: Richard Kingscote

T: Sir Michael Stoute

8-13

116

Made debut in April; better the further he went in his 1m2f win on heavy at Nottingham on second start and there was lots to like about the way he travelled and knuckled down to deal with Inquiring Minds at Doncaster (1m4f, good to firm) in another novice three weeks ago; promising handicap debutant.

RACING POST TIP

Valiant King

The pick from a host of promising middle-distance 3yos may well be VALIANT KING, who looks open to big improvement over this new trip given the way he's been finishing his 1m2f races in Ireland. While likely favourite Tagabawa looked good in the last of his three runs on the AW, other top stables are represented in abundance and the best of those candidates might be Sir Michael Stoute's handicap newcomer Perfuse (second choice) ahead of Aidan O'Brien's London Gold Cup winner Bertinelli. James Ferguson has a strong hand with Wonder Legend and Land Legend. The 1m2f Newbury win of Greysful Storm was registered in such style that she must be in serious calculations despite having shot up the handicap.

Verdict

Past 10 Winners

YEAR	WINNER [DRAW]	AGE	WGT	SP	TRAINER	JOCKEY	RPR
2022	Pyledriver [4]	5	9-9	18/1	William Muir & Chris Grassick	P J McDonald	125
2021	Adayar [4]	3	8-10	9/4	Charlie Appleby	William Buick	128
2020	Enable [3]	6	9-4	4/9F	John Gosden	Frankie Dettori	124
2019	Enable [11]	5	9-4	8/15F	John Gosden	Frankie Dettori	127
2018	Poet’s Word [8]	5	9-7	7/4	Sir Michael Stoute	James Doyle	129
2017	Enable [7]	3	8-7	5/4F	John Gosden	Frankie Dettori	128
2016	Highland Reel [3]	4	9-7	13/8F	A P O’Brien	Ryan Moore	121
2015	Postponed [9]	4	9-7	6/1	Luca Cumani	Andrea Atzeni	124
2014	Taghrooda [7]	3	8-6	7/2	John Gosden	Paul Hanagan	125
2013	Novellist [3]	4	9-7	13/2	A Wohler	Johnny Murtagh	128

Key race stats

Top-two finish last time, 10/10 (seven won)
Officially rated between 88 and 95, 9/10
Carried no more than 9st 1lb, 9/10
Previously contested a handicap, 8/10 (seven won one)
Won earlier in the season, 8/10
Drawn in double figures, 8/10

Other factors

Mark Johnston has had six winners since 1995, while Sir Michael Stoute has had four.

What happened last year?

A cracking running of this 1m4f handicap saw Secret State hold on to deny the fast-finishing Deauville Legend, with Israr back in third. The winner followed up at Glorious Goodwood before losing out to the runner-up in the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York, while Israr went on to place in the Group 3 Al Rayyan Stakes this term. Deauville Legend, who also picked up a Group 3 on his next start, ended the season with a fourth in the Melbourne Cup, for which he was sent off favourite.

King George V Stakes

15:05 Royal Ascot

RACING POST TIP

Verdict

Past 10 Winners

Key race stats

What happened last year?

All Races