5 Best Ascot King George Winners of The Last 50 Years Ranked

Ahead of this year’s stellar renewal of Europe’s summer middle-distance showpiece, we’re taking a trip down memory lane by ranking our best Ascot King George winners of the last 50 years.

The likes of Busted , Nijinsky , Mill Reef and Brigadier Gerard just miss out on that timeframe, but this top-five list still contains some legends of the sport.

5 Greatest King George Winners Of Last 50 Years Ranked

Reference Point

5. REFERENCE POINT (1987)

Henry Cecil’s Epsom Derby hero faced an incredibly strong field, including multiple Group One-winning mare Triptych , dual Oaks heroine Unite , St Leger star Moon Madness, Irish Derby ace Sir Harry Lewis , German champion Acatenango and the high-class Celestial Storm.

However, Steve Cauthen sent Reference Point to the front from the outset and they simply ran those rivals ragged, piling on the pressure with a relentless gallop before powering to a superb three-length success on soft ground.

Galileo

4. GALILEO (2001)

Aidan O’Brien’s first King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes triumph featured a couple of smart French raiders in Hightori and Anabaa Blue , St Leger victor Millenary and Royal Ascot ace Storming Home , but it basically boiled down to a match between his dual Derby winner and the Godolphin five-year-old Fantastic Light .

The latter was looking to go one better than when second 12 months earlier and was in form after an impressive Prince of Wales’s Stakes success, but after laying down a strong challenge at the furlong pole, he had no response when Galileo pulled out more to prevail by two lengths.

Dancing Brave

3. DANCING BRAVE (1986)

Dual Derby winner Shahrastani was sent off favourite at 11/10 but Guy Harwood’s 2,000 Guineas victor was well backed at 6/4 after following up his unlucky second at Epsom by beating older horses in the Eclipse .

Shahrastani was sent to the front entering the home straight but was soon under pressure as Dancing Brave stormed past under Pat Eddery and, despite producing that spectacular surge a touch too soon, it was redemption day for the subsequent Arc hero as he held off Shardari .

Montjeu

2. MONTJEU (2000)

Harbinger fans may feel hard done by as he doesn’t make this list despite an 11-length romp in 2010 but our most impressive individual performance came a decade earlier when Montjeu delivered a silky-smooth display to see off Fantastic Light and Coronation Cup victor Daliapour .

The latter took over from his pacemaker turning for home but Mick Kinane was sat motionless on Montjeu as John Hammond’s French raider swept stylishly by before beating Fantastic Light by a length and threequarters on the bridle.

Enable

1. ENABLE (2017, 2019 & 2020)

The only three-time King George winner is hard to keep off top spot, with the first of her victories being rated the best as she followed up wins in the Epsom and Irish Oaks by routing a field that included Eclipse winner Ulysses , Hardwicke Stakes ace Idaho and defending champion Highland Reel .

After missing the 2018 renewal, Enable returned to Ascot as a dual Arc winner and got the better of a great battle with Crystal Ocean , while in 2020 she demolished just two rivals in Ballydoyle pair Sovereign and Japan to give Frankie Dettori a record-equalling seventh success in the race.

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