Timetable | 15.35 2nd August 2024 |
Prediction | Asfoora to win |
Odds | 4.00 |
Bookmaker | BoyleSports |
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While Glorious Goodwood is synonymous with G1 races such as the Sussex Stakes and Goodwood Cup, the Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes is also incredibly popular. This five-furlong sprint will take place on Friday, August 2nd, 2024, with the runners scheduled to come under starters orders at around 15:35 GMT. Asfoora is the ante-post favourite among Ireland’s best betting sites, but which runner do I think will prevail at Goodwood?
🏆 King George Qatar Stakes Prediction
Asfoora can be backed here at around 4.00, having won superbly in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out. She thrived in G1 company over the five-furlong distance, powering clear in the final 110 yards to prevail by a length from Regional. Ridden superbly by Oisin Murphy, she also coped admirably with the type of good-to-firm going that we can expect at Goodwood this week.
Her biggest rival here is likely to be Michael Appleby ‘Big Evs’, with this talented colt having won five of his eight career flat races to date and placed in the top three on seven occasions (87.5%). However, he trailed Asfoora by a length-and-a-half and came third in the aforementioned King Charles III Stakes, despite leading after a furlong and starting well. Overall, Asfoora may be a little too seasoned for her rival, and I’m tipping her to edge another close race here.
My King George Stakes Tip: Bet on Asfoora to win.
🏇 King George Qatar Stakes Betting Preview
Despite Asfoora being the ante-post favourite and my pick to win the 2024 King George Qatar Stakes, she won’t have things all her own way at Goodwood. So, let’s take a closer look at the three most likely contenders.
1️⃣ Asfoora
The five-year-old mare Asfoora is trained by the Henry Dwyer stable and has recorded nine wins in 20 flat career races to date. She has also placed in the top three in 13 of these outings (65%) while contesting a total of six races at G1 level so far. She’s certainly proven over the distance and has fared well in excellent company, so the King George field will hold no fears for her at all.
Seven of her nine career wins have also come in good-to-soft, good or good-to-firm going, so she should thrive in the summer conditions at Goodwood. Her superb victory in the King Charles III Stakes means that she’ll arrive in West Sussex in excellent form, too, and Asfoora undoubtedly offers value as either an outright or each-way pick.
Best Odds on Asfoora
2️⃣ Big Evs
Big Evs is two years younger than Asfoora and has contested 12 fewer races, but this three-year-old colt has a significantly higher win rate (62.5%). He will have also learned a great deal from his defeat to Asfoora in the King Charles III Stakes, as he seemed to run out of steam at Ascot as he was overhauled during the final 110 yards.
Big Evs, who is trained by Michael Appleby, has also previously competed and won at G1 level, including the coveted Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita last November. He also won the C1 British Stallion Studs EBF Westow Stakes at York in May. This will stand him in good stead at Goodwood, and Big Evs certainly offers exceptional value as an each-way pick.
Best Odds on Big Evs
3️⃣ Believing
According to the ante-post odds, the George Boughey-trained four-year-old Believing is the third favourite to triumph in the King George Qatar Stakes. Although this filly has only won four of her 17 flat career races to date (23.52%), she has placed eight times in total (47.05%) and will arrive at Goodwood in excellent form.
Last time out, she triumphed in the G2 Barberstown Castle Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh, taking the lead after two furlongs before pulling clear down the final stretch. She eventually won comfortably by 1¾ lengths in excellent company while thriving in the good conditions. She’s well priced at around 5.00, too, so it may be worth an each-way punt here.
Best Odds on Believing
⭐ King George Qatar Stakes Betting Tips
Clive Cox’s Jasour is also fancied to do well here, as is the 8.00-shot Starlust. So, how do you inform your picks and identify the best value markets? Here are some expert betting tips to keep in mind:
✅ Consider the Favourite Carefully
The last 20 King George Stakes renewals have seen eight starting favourites prevail (40%). However, the favourite has won in four of the previous six iterations, including the 1.44-shot Highfield Princess in 2023. This trend would seem to be in favour of Asfoora, although there’s very little between this talented mare and Big Evs in the eyes of bookmakers. Interestingly, the starting favourite has only once finished outside the top two in the previous seven years, so each-way betting is highly recommended here.
✅ Analyse Recent Performances at Ascot
Of the previous 20 King George Stakes winners, eight have run at Ascot on their previous outing. A further five warmed up by racing at Newmarket in July, with this trend factor favouring both Asfoora and Big Evs (but counting against Believing, who won at Curragh in her last competitive outing). It should also be noted that no horse has won any of the last 10 King George Stakes from a starting price above 9.00, so any runner with longer odds will represent a huge risk in the win market.
✅ Look for Previous Goodwood Performances
It’s interesting to note that despite contesting 37 races between them, neither Asfoora nor Believing have ever competed at Goodwood before. However, the fancied Big Evs did race here in the 2023 Jaeger-Lecoultre Molecomb Stakes, winning by a neck from Purosangue over five furlongs after a thrilling horse race. This may afford the three-year-old colt an additional competitive advantage in the field, further strengthening his status as a solid each-way pick.
📊 King George Qatar Stakes Winners
Year | Horse | Jockey | Country | Trainer |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Battassh | Jim Crowley | IRE | Charles Hills |
2020 | Battassh | Jim Crowley | IRE | Charles Hills |
2021 | Suesa | William Buick | IRE | F Rohaut |
2022 | Khaadem | Ryan Moore | IRE | Charles Hills |
2023 | Highfield Princess | Jason Hart | FR | John Quinn |
❓ Frequently Asked Questions About the 2024 King George Qatar Stakes
What Horse is Favourite for the 2024 King George Qatar Stakes?
There are three runners strongly fancied to win the 2024 King George Qatar Stakes: namely Asfoora, Big Evs and Believing. Each of these horses are similarly priced, but the five-year-old mare Asfoora is my pick to triumph.
What is the Best Way to Bet on the King George Qatar Stakes in 2024?
The close nature of the field in this race makes it hard to confidently pick a winner, so each-way betting may offer superior value here. Both Asfoora and Big Evs offer excellent value in this market, especially with the latter having previously won at Goodwood in the 2023 Molecomb Stakes.
Where Can I Bet on the 2024 King George Qatar Stakes?
Each of Betinireland’s recommended betting sites offer competitive prices and a wide array of King George Qatar Stakes markets. So, we’d urge you to compare your options and check out the available free bet offers and bookmakers reviews before making a selection.
What is the Most Common Horse Bet?
Win market, each-way and place bets are the most popular and straightforward wager types in the sport of horse racing. As I’ve touched on, each-way and place bets are likely to be the most popular here given the unpredictable nature of the 2024 King George Qatar Stakes.
What is the Prize Money for the King George Qatar Stakes?
The cumulative prize fund for the King George Qatar Stakes is estimated to be in excess of €300,000. The winning runner will bank more than €170,130 on behalf of their owners, so the King George Qatar Stakes is one of the more lucrative G2 races around.
✒️ Lewis Humphries Horse Racing and Sports Betting Expert
Lewis Humphries is an experienced sportswriter and tipster from the UK. He writes regularly about horse racing and key events from across the UK and Ireland, including the Irish Grand National, the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Aintree Grand National. Lewis doesn't just stick to sports; you can also find plenty of casino gaming content. He's reviewed some of the world's leading online casino platforms, while creating blog posts and landing page content for various sports betting brands.