Confirmed runners and riders for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes - plus a tip and free bet

The eagerly anticipated Derby rematch between Auguste Rodin and King Of Steel is on after both were included in a field of 11 declared for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (3.40) at Ascot on Saturday.

Auguste Rodin, trained by Aidan O'Brien, denied King Of Steel by half a length in the Epsom Classic last month and followed up in the Irish Derby at the Curragh this month.

The three-year-old colt is 3-1 with most firms, as is the Roger Varian-trained King Of Steel, who was last seen storming to success in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. 

Paddy Power free bet offer

Sign up here. New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any market at odds of minimum 2.0 (evs) and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £20. Only deposits made using cards will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply. Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links. Offers are handpicked and come from operators that our experts have first-hand experience of. Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post, which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing.

The Wootton Bassett colt has improved significantly this season having finished nine and three-quarter lengths behind Auguste Rodin in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster in October.

Last year’s Derby hero Desert Crown was one of four horses not to be declared. He misses the race after sustaining a leg infection on Wednesday. The O’Brien-trained Adelaide River and Broome will not contest the race along with French entry Simca Mille. 

However, the Ballydoyle maestro will be further represented by Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Luxembourg, Point Lonsdale and Bolshoi Ballet.

Pyledriver, who won this race last year for William Muir and Chris Grassick, returns again after striking in the Hardwicke Stakes at the royal meeting following 336 days off the track.

The Owen Burrows-trained Hukum, who defeated Desert Crown in the Brigadier Gerard at Sandown in May, makes his first start since that win, while Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Westover is the sole representative for Ralph Beckett.

John and Thady Gosden will saddle Coronation Cup heroine Emily Upjohn, who finished second to Paddington in the Coral-Eclipse earlier this month but won the Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes on this card last year.

The James Ferguson-trained Deauville Legend and course-and-distance winner Hamish complete the field of 11. The race is televised on ITV and Sky Sports Racing.

It is shaping up to be one of the hottest renewals of the race in recent years and Coral, who make Auguste Rodin the 3-1 favourite, say there could be a number of runners who may be sent off as the leading fancy on Saturday.

Coral's David Stevens said: "The eleven runners – ranging in age from three to seven – in this year's King George have won 14 Group Ones and £11 million in prize-money between them, so the quality of this renewal is arguably as high as we've ever seen in the race.

"With few of the contenders confidently ruled out, there's been a good spread of support ante-post, and that looks sure to be the case on Saturday as well, when any one of the first four or five in the betting could yet be sent off favourite."

King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes: confirmed runners and riders

• Auguste Rodin Ryan Moore
  
• Bolshoi Ballet Sean Levey
• Deauville Legend Oisin Murphy
• Emily Upjohn Frankie Dettori
• Hamish Richard Kingscote
• Hukum Jim Crowley
• Luxembourg Seamie Heffernan
• King Of Steel Kevin Stott
• Point Lonsdale Adam Kirby
• Pyledriver PJ McDonald
• Westover Rob Hornby

Best betting offers: King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot

• bet365 have a new customer offer available when you sign up for an account. Sign up for a new account here.
• Betfair have lots of offers, extra places and money-back specials. Sign up for a new account here.
• Coral have an offer for new customers. Sign up for a new account here.
• Ladbrokes have an offer for new customers. Sign up for a new account here.
• Paddy Power are giving away free bets to new and existing customers. Sign up for a new account here.
• Sky Bet are offering new customers free bets when they sign up. You can get them, along with money-back specials and extra places, when you sign up for a new account here.
• New William Hill customers can claim free bets and benefit from money-back offers. Sign up for a new account here.
• Tote are giving away free bets to new customers. Sign up for a new account here.
• Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links. Offers are handpicked and come from operators that our experts have first-hand experience of. Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post, which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing.

King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes: big-race tip and 1-2-3 prediction

By Stuart Redding, tipster

1 Emily Upjohn
2 Luxembourg
3 Hukum

Emily Upjohn finished tailed off last year after refusing to settle but she has looked better than ever in two outings this summer and only lost out to the pacier Paddington at Sandown last time. She can put her valuable fillies' allowance to good use.

This content was first published in Wednesday's Racing Post Weekender. Read more from star Weekender contributors such as leading tipsters Tom Segal and Paul Kealy and exclusive columnist Ed Walker every week.

Emily Upjohn15:40 Ascot

View Racecard

Jky: Frankie Dettori Tnr: John & Thady Gosden

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes (Saturday 3.40, Ascot)

Coral: 3-1 Auguste Rodin, 10-3 King Of Steel, 4 Hukum, 9-2 Emily Upjohn, 13-2 Pyledriver, 12 Luxembourg, 16 Westover, 28 Deauville Legend, 66 Hamish, 80 Point Lonsdale, 100 Bolshoi Ballet

Read these next:

2023 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes: assessing the top contenders for the Group 1 at Ascot on Saturday 

Who will win the 2023 King George based on previous trends? 

Racing Post Members' Club: subscribe for just £9.99 

Do you want £200+ of free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.