The King Edward VII Stakes is a Group 2 contest run over 1m4f. It takes place at 17:40 on Friday 21st June, which is the fourth day of Royal Ascot 2024. 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⁽⁵⁾

116-48

Diego Velazquez

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O'Brien

9-2

111

125

Unplaced in Group 1 events last three starts but they include an excellent fourth from a wide draw in the French 2,000 Guineas (1m, soft); stoutly bred and seemed likely to relish the step up to 10.5f in the French Derby (heavy) next time, but could finish only eighth of 14; arguably has a bit to prove after that but he's now down in grade and the return to a forecast sound surface may spark a personal best (2-2 on good ground last year); interesting.

3⁽¹⁾

122-31

Chief Little Rock

J: Wayne Lordan

T: A P O'Brien

9-2

109

119

Building up a useful CV and his comfortable all-the-way Group 3 win at the Curragh (1m2f, good/yielding) last month was a personal best; galloped on strongly that day and should stay this extra 2f; another plausible candidate for Aidan O'Brien.

14⁽¹¹⁾

13-63

War Rooms

J: Jim Crowley

T: Owen Burrows

9-2

104

118

Belatedly built on the form of a convincing winning debut at Doncaster (7f, soft) last summer when third of seven in the Dante at York (1m2f, good; 25-1) five weeks ago, although he did seem beaten fair and square; will need to raise his game again if he's to make a serious impression.

7⁽¹⁴⁾

124-20

Macduff

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Ralph Beckett

9-2

104

118

Bred in the purple (by Sea The Stars out of a half-sister to Kingman) and looked well worth his place in the Derby after an encouraging second in the Classic Trial at Sandown (1m2f, good to soft); didn't give his running at all at Epsom (14-1; always in rear) but it's interesting that his trainer is happy to turn him out again just three weeks later; cheekpieces go on.

11⁽⁶⁾

31-24

The Euphrates

J: Declan McDonogh

T: A P O'Brien

9-2

102

114

By Frankel from the family of Golan; steady improver who followed a 3l second in the Ballysax at Leopardstown (1m2f, heavy) with fourth of nine in the Lingfield Derby Trial (11.4f, good); needs another chunk of progress to make an impact here; perhaps first-time headgear will help.

2⁽¹³⁾

31-211

Calandagan

J: Stephane Pasquier

T: F-H Graffard

9-2

110

121

French-trained gelding who has progressed from race to race, drawing clear towards finish when landing the odds in 1m3f Group 3 at Longchamp on latest; ground firmer than good would be an unknown (all turf starts on soft/heavy) but today's longer distance should suit and he has leading claims on form.

9⁽¹²⁾

141-32

Royal Supremacy

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Ciaron Maher

9-2

100

114

Raised his game when second of 15 in the Italian Derby (1m3f, soft) last month and gives the impression he'll stay today's extra yardage, but he'll need to improve at least another 10lb to go one better here.

4⁽³⁾

16-27

Defiance

J: Silvestre De Sousa

T: Roger Varian

9-2

102

114

Looked a colt going places when making a winning debut at Sandown (1m, good to soft) last August; 0-3 since, and although he ran well when second in Blue Riband Trial at Epsom (1m2f, good), that still leaves him with plenty to find and he needs to put a disappointing run in Lingfield Derby Trial (second favourite) well behind him; represents last year's winning stable.

1⁽⁴⁾

3-12

Agenda

J: Dylan Browne McMonagle

T: A P O'Brien

9-2

108

124

By Galileo out of a Cheveley Park runner-up; has shown significant improvement with each of his three outings, looking better the further he went when easily winning a maiden at Dundalk (10.6f, AW), then making much of the running when 3l second of six in Chester Vase (1m4f, good); still has his best days ahead of him and is one of four interesting contenders from Ballydoyle.

6⁽⁹⁾

2-21

Harper's Ferry

J: Tom Marquand

T: Ed Walker

9-2

104

Bred to make an impact at this level (by French Derby winner Lope De Vega out of Oaks heroine Talent) but he's bottom of the pack on ratings and needed to be ridden out to win a Windsor novice (1m2f, good) in April; refused to enter stalls for Dee Stakes at Chester in May; now tongue tied.

8⁽¹⁰⁾

3-1325

Mondo Man

J: William Buick

T: P & J Brandt

9-2

111

121

Progressive form in France; off the mark at Deauville (9.5f, AW) in February and ran a cracker when fast-finishing fifth of 14 under William Buick in the French Derby at Chantilly (10.5f, heavy; unraced on good or firmer) three weeks ago; shapes as if this longer trip will suit; not ruled out.

13⁽²⁾

Voyage

J: Pat Dobbs

T: Richard Hannon

9-2

107

Belied his big odds at Newbury (1m2f, good to soft) on debut in April, not hard pressed after leading early in the straight; stumbled and unseated Pat Dobbs leaving the stalls in the Derby (again 28-1) three weeks ago before leading the field home riderless; very hard to weigh up but the suspicion is that he's well above average and should not be passed over lightly.

10⁽⁸⁾

2-12

Space Legend

J: James Doyle

T: William Haggas

9-2

103

116

Very promising colt who won Leicester maiden (1m2f, soft) in April and should have followed up in Listed race at Goodwood (1m3f, good; beaten neck after being hemmed in at crucial stage) the following month; progressing fast and well worth his place in this higher grade.

12⁽⁷⁾

Theory Of Tides

J: Kieran Shoemark

T: John & Thady Gosden

9-2

108

Unbeaten son of Galileo; bred for speed on the dam's side but he looked stronger the further he went when winning a novice at Yarmouth (11.4f, good to soft) last month with plenty in hand; takes a marked rise in class but he's the sole representative for a stable that has won this race three times before and he needs to be taken seriously.

RACING POST TIP

Diego Velazquez

Aidan O'Brien has whittled down nine possibles at the start of the week to four declared runners and Ryan Moore's mount DIEGO VELAZQUEZ may well be the pick of them. Closely related to the very classy Broome who won the Hardwicke over this C&D two years ago, he was only eighth in the French Derby last time but could be a different proposition back on forecast quicker ground. The unexposed Space Legend was unlucky at Goodwood and is feared most, with the French-trained pair Calandagan and Mondo Man also respected. Voyage, who won on his debut before leading the field home riderless in the Derby, is an unknown quantity and impossible to rule out.

Verdict

Past 10 Winners

Year	Horse [Draw]	Age	Weight	SP	Trainer	Jockey
2023	King Of Steel [6]	3	9-2	11/10F	Roger Varian	Kevin Stott
2022	Changingoftheguard [3]	3	9-2	11/10	Aidan O’Brien	Ryan Moore
2021	Alenquer [3]	3	9-0	13/8F	William Haggas	Tom Marquand
2020	Pyledriver [1]	3	9-0	18-1	William Muir	Martin Dwyer
2019	Japan [2]	3	9-0	6/4F	A P O’Brien	Ryan Moore
2018	Old Persian [9]	3	9-0	9/2	Charlie Appleby	William Buick
2017	Permian [11]	3	9-0	6/1	Mark Johnston	William Buick
2016	Across The Stars [4]	3	9-0	7/1	Sir Michael Stoute	Frankie Dettori
2015	Balios [4]	3	9-0	3/1	David Simcock	Jamie Spencer
2014	Eagle Top [5]	3	9-0	12/1	John Gosden	William Buick

Key race stats 2024

Key trends

Won within last three starts, 10/10
Adjusted RPR of at least 120, 8/10
Yet to win over 1m4f, 8/10
Within 5lb of RPR top-rated, 9/10 (four were top-rated)
Ran in a recognised Derby trial, 8/10 (four won)
Top-three finish last time out, 6/10

Other factors

Three of the last five winners had run in Group company as juveniles – Japan, Pyledriver and King Of Steel (Japan won a Group 2).

What happened in the King Edward VII Stakes last year?

KING OF STEEL arguably shaped like the best horse in the Derby, when second at 66-1, shooting clear on his first run since October only to be worn down late by a fellow top-class colt in Auguste Rodin. A big sort, he had to show he could back up such a huge effort less than three weeks later, and he did so well enough despite racing keenly. Continuous, up in trip, bounced back from a disappointing effort in the French Derby, just lacking the acceleration of the winner. Artistic Star under a more prominent ride in a steadily run race stuck on for pressure into third.

King Edward VII Stakes

17:40 Royal Ascot

RACING POST TIP

Verdict

Past 10 Winners

Key race stats 2024

What happened in the King Edward VII Stakes last year?

All Races