King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes up the stakes to £1.5m in 2025

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One of the year’s richest races is set to get even richer this year, as Ascot Racecourse has announced that it is increasing the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes prize pot to £1.5m. This is an increase on the £1.25m handed out last year and will be the most prize money handed out in a single race at the prestigious course. 

The organisers also announced that this year’s event will be a ‘run for free’ event, meaning entrants will have their entry fees returned. The total prize money for the five-day meet stands at £17.75m. 

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This year’s Royal Ascot will be run from Tuesday 17 June to Saturday 21 June. Announcing the prize pot increase, organisers have said no single race at the event will be run for less than £100,000 and that all Group 1 races carry a minimum £650,000 total purse. 

The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, more commonly known as the King George Stakes, is described by Ascot as being the midsummer highlight. The mile-and-a-half flat race is open to horses of all ages and, as of this year, it will be free to enter.

Changes to race requirements have also been announced. As well as being free to enter, Ascot is removing closing entry requirements for Group 2 events. Previously, entrants must have been registered by the end of April to be eligible for entry. With these restrictions lifted, owners and trainers will be able to make better-informed decisions regarding whether to enter and run their horses. This affects the Ribblesdale Stakes, the King Edward VII Stakes, the Duke of Cambridge Stakes, and the Hardwicke Stakes.

The changes to this year’s card mean that Ascot’s executive contribution to the prize funds will rise from £9.4m last year, to £10.1m this year. It is expected that the total prize money on offer, including the executive contribution, will be £17.5m.

The five-day event attracts more than 300,000 spectators every year and attracts some of the world’s best flat racers. The King George Stakes is the card’s main event and attracts millions of viewers and punters. 2024’s race was won by French-trained outsider Goliath, at odds of 25-1. Blue Stocking finished second, with Rebel Romance taking third place. The favourite, Auguste Rodin, finished in a disappointing fifth position. 

News of the prize increases and changes in race requirements have been met positively. Director of the British Horseracing Authority’s international racing and development, Ruth Quinn, said that: “Ascot’s ‘run for free’ concept, especially for this extremely valuable prize, is an example of tremendous initiative and dynamic thinking” while chief executive of the National Trainers Federation, Paul Johnson, said, on the removal of April entry submissions, that: “Trainers will certainly appreciate the extra flexibility.” 

Meanwhile Felicity Bernard, CEO at Ascot Racecourse described the race as “Britain’s top all-aged mile-and-a-half race” and went on to say “It is vital that its prize money reflects that.”