Masquerade Ball backed to reverse form with Calandagan in King George

With the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes upon us, Kate Tracey quizzed Declan Rix and Sam Boswell on the big race on the latest episode of Weekend Winners.Nine runners are set to line up in the Saturday feature overall, with last season's winner Calandagan back to defend his crown - won at the expense of the reopposing Kalpana last term. Masquerade Ball arrives from Japan also looking to exact revenge on the Aga Khan champion, having been denied by the finest margins on home soil in the Japan Cup. Aidan O'Brien fields four runners, headlined by Irish Derby hero Benvenuto Cellini and 2025 Arc runner-up Minnie Hauk, whilst 2024 King George winner Goliath seeks to win back his crown under Christophe Soumillon. YouTube This content is provided by YouTube, which may be using cookies and other technologies. To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies. You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable YouTube cookies or to allow those cookies just once. You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options. Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to YouTube cookies. To view this content you can use the button below to allow YouTube cookies for this session only. Declan Rix:"Last year's race was run to suit Calandagan - if you were ever going to set up a 12-furlong race on fast ground for him, you're going to go no gallop because this lad has 10-furlong top class gears. I couldn't believe how badly Ballydoyle got the tactics wrong. Image: Calandagan goes for glory in the King George again "I don't think this year's race will set up like that, with Action and Lambourn going forward to turn this into a proper test for Minnie Hauk and Benvenuto Cellini. Whether that suits Calandagan as well, I've just got that little thing in the back of my mind that a 12-furlong strong run end-to-end gallop could drag the class and change of gear out of him. "However, he is the best horse in here. He's older, stronger and just as good this season - though that's maybe over-egging the pudding as he had that poor run at Epsom earlier this season." Sam Boswell:"It was a huge effort from Calandagan to go into the opposition's back yard and do it [in the Japan Cup]. You can make strong cases for either him or Masquerade Ball [on Saturday] but at the prices I'm going to lean towards Masquerade Ball. Latest Racing Stories Ryan Moore: Legendary jockey awarded MBE in King's Birthday Honours Derby: Benvenuto Cellini leads four-strong Aidan O'Brien team for Epsom Classic Epsom tips: Kevin Blake of At The Races makes his selections for Derby day Levi Williams: Former jockey jailed for manslaughter of pensioner he punched outside pub Derby: Andrew Balding 'very confident' in Item's stamina ahead of Epsom Hollie Doyle: Don't write off Constitution River despite French Derby draw "He was getting a bit of weight that day but was the younger horse who has aged up a little bit. The track is the unknown for the Japanese horse, isn't it? How has he travelled over? There was a media day in Newmarket on Wednesday and both Japanese horses looked well, with the trainer so enthused about being here. "When I was looking at this yesterday, we were getting a bit of 9/2 - 7/2 is as short as I'd want to go. Calandagan has made me look silly throughout the course of this show, we know the ground and track are perfect for him. However, if I can get 4/1 about Masquerade Ball I'll be taking him on."Watch Weekend Winners in full on the At The Races YouTube channel.