The 2025 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1), set to be held at Ascot, is poised to become the richest race ever conducted at the prestigious venue, with prize money dramatically increased to £1.5 million (around US$1.55 million). This substantial enhancement includes a £250,000 boost from the previous year and is accompanied by the launch of a new incentive scheme aimed at making the entry process more attractive for owners.
This year’s race will be the first installment of this innovative scheme, where the entry fees for horses competing will be fully refunded, effectively making it free for owners to participate. It’s important to note, though, this concession will not extend to horses supplemented to enter the race. The organizers at Ascot revealed these pivotal changes are geared toward enhancing competitiveness and acknowledging the race's status as one of Europe's highlights during the summer middle-distance calendar.
Last year, Goliath triumphed over notable competitors, including Bluestocking, the eventual winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), and two-time Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) victor, Rebel's Romance. These heightened stakes come at a time when Ascot is seeking a new sponsor for the event, following Qipco's withdrawal after ten years of support.
Nick Smith, Ascot's director of racing and public affairs, spoke about the motivations behind these changes. He stated, "We have been thinking about the concept of 'run for free' for the King George for some time as a mechanism for incentivising runners at decision-making time, as there are other alternatives lower down the Pattern and overseas." He emphasized the importance of field sizes, particularly within the World Pool era, expressing hopes to entice connections of horses who might typically be overlooked to aim for this monumental contest with its record prize money.
Besides enhancing the King George, Ascot has restructured the entry conditions for four group 2 races held during the royal meeting. Traditionally, entries for the Ribblesdale Stakes (G2), King Edward VII Stakes (G2), Duke of Cambridge Stakes (G2), and Hardwicke Stakes (G2) had to be finalized by April, leading to various elimination stages before the final fields were confirmed.
Moving forward, these races will only require six-day entries, allowing for more flexibility and informed decision-making on the part of trainers. Paul Johnson, chief executive of the National Trainers Federation, noted, "Trainers will certainly appreciate the extra flexibility...This will allow for more informed decision-making... and will hopefully see Ascot rewarded with competitive contests.”
Johnson also remarked on the 'run for free' concept, pointing out its potential to incrementally encourage participation alongside the significant increase in prize money. Ascot projects total prize money of £17.75 million for 2025 across all events, with the venue’s contribution to these pools slated to rise to £10.1 million from £9.4 million the previous year.
Felicity Barnard, appointed as Ascot's new chief executive, expressed her enthusiasm for these developments, stating, "We are delighted to be continuing our upwardtrajectory in prize-money for 2025....The King George is our midsummer highlight and Britain's top all-aged mile-and-a-half race. It is vitalthat its prize-money reflectsthat, and this year's renewal will be the most valuable race ever run at Ascot."