2024 King George Diamond Day Review

This year’s King George Diamond Day at the iconic Ascot Racecourse was enthralling, and here we will review all of the action.

King George Diamond Day is one of the most anticipated days of horse racing on the calendar each and every year. The 2024 renewal saw 8 races take place once more at the iconic and historic Ascot Racecourse, during which there was enthralling action and some shock winners along the way.

The day opened with the British EBF Crocker Bulteel ‘Confined’ Maiden Stakes, where a field of seven horses and jockeys competed to for glory in the day’s curtain raiser. Pre-race favourite Al Misbar, ridden by William Buick, was unable to seal victory in the end, with Ryan Moore on board Our Terms instead emerging victorious ahead of Back In Black in second and Letsbeatsepsis in third place.

This was followed by the Sodexo Live! Princess Margaret Stakes, where, this time, the favourite to win the race would have more luck out on track. It was a second successive victory for Ryan Moore, who this time led Simmering to victory, beating runner-up Betty Clover by a narrow margin of just a neck. Tales Of The Heart had to settle for third in the end, half a length behind the winner.

Then came the third race of King George Diamond Day 2024, which was the Longines Valiant Stakes. It was Kieran Shoemark riding Friendly Soul who was the winner after fending off some stern competition from the likes of second place Doom and third place Naomi Lapaglia to win by a margin of three lengths. Devoted Queen, the pre-race favourite, came in 8th place.

The halfway stage of the afternoon’s racing saw the 2024 Moet & Chandon International Stakes take to the track at Ascot Racecourse. Northern Express was the winner, with Jockey Paul Mulrennan on board. Pre-race favourite Billyjoh was disappointing in this race, with Rossa Ryan’s horse finishing as far back as 10th place in the end.

The headline race of the day, the 2024 renewal of the highly coveted King George VI And Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes, came next as the fifth race to take place on King George Diamond Day this year. Following an enthralling and action packed race, there was a shock winner with French trained Goliath, trained by Belgian Jockey Christophe Soumillon emerging victorious. Goliath’s margin of victory was two and a quarter lengths, becoming the first France trained horse to win this race since Hurricane Run in 2006.

Bluestocking and Rebel’s Romance came in second and third place respectively, whilst pre-race favourite Auguste Rodin, ridden by Ryan Moore, had to settle for a 5th place finish in the end.

Then came race six, which was the Flexjet Pat Eddery Stakes. They were won by Jockey William Buick, who managed to guide his horse Al Qudra to two and a quarter-length victory ahead of Oisin Murphy’s New Century in second, and Robert Havlin’s Chancellor, rounding off the top three in third place. Chancellor was also the pre-race favourite.

The penultimate race of the day the Betfred Handicap – this was where the pre-race favourite did indeed come out on top with Tom Marquand’s Elnajmm emerging victorious by half a length ahead of runner-up Back In Black, who challenged Elnajmm very closely towards the end. Raadobarg came in third place overall, to round off the top three.

It was the 2024 Whispering Angel Handicap which rounded off this year’s King George Diamond Day as the eighth and final race of the day. Pre-race favourite Woodhay Wonder came in third, whilst it was Albasheer, ridden by Jockey Hollie Doyle who came out on top in the end, finishing just ahead of Emperor Spirit in second place.

Excitement will be building ahead of King George Diamond Day in 2025, which will be taking place at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday 26th July, but before that, there is this year’s QIPCO British Champions Day which is set to take place on Saturday 19th October 2024.

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