Ascot has announced annual pre-tax profits of £10.5m for 2025 and revealed that next year's King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes will be worth a British-record £2.5m. The track is debt-free after paying off the final £3m loan taken out to build its grandstand in 2006.
Record Crowds and Profits
The crowds for last month's Royal meeting were up on all five days, setting a post-Covid record. Amid fears in the wider racing industry over affordability checks, tax raids and falling attendance, Ascot continues to thrive.
Reviving the King George
In recent years, Ascot's midsummer showpiece—a 12-furlong all-aged Group One—has struggled to keep up with the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in prize money and prestige. However, a strategic decision to focus on the King George as the primary race asset is paying off. This year's prize fund is £2m, and next year's increase to £2.5m will leave it behind only the Arc, which has a purse of €5m (£4.24m).
Nick Smith, Ascot's director of racing and public affairs, said: "Two years ago, we made a very conscious strategic decision that we would focus on the King George as our primary race asset." He added: "The bottom line is that this is the best King George this century, it has to be."
Strong Field for 2025 Renewal
Saturday's renewal features last year's best and second-best racehorses in the world, Calandagan and Masquerade Ball, as well as leading three-year-old Benvenuto Cellini. Japanese-trained Masquerade Ball is a leading fancy, with millions of Japanese fans expected to tune in. Smith said: "On Saturday, there will be flags down the course with the colours of every single King George winner, right back to the start. We're unashamedly promoting the horse race."
Long-Term Goal
Ascot's long-term goal is to match the prize money on offer for the Arc. Smith noted: "The increase is a very firm statement that this is the start, not the conclusion."
Racing Tips
Masquerade Ball is tipped to win the King George at around 7-2, with Calandagan the clear favourite at 13-8. Other selections include Mon Na Slieve at York 1.30, Dark Issue at Ascot 1.45, Evening Blues at York 2.00, Touleen at Ascot 2.20, Item at York 2.35, and Great Acclaim at Ascot 2.55.
