Hardwicke Stakes Guide 2021

David Menuisier entrant, Wonderful Tonight, has great course form here at Ascot thanks to her Group 1 victory in the British Champions fillies and mares’ stakes (12f) here last season on her final run as a 3yo.

The daughter of Le Havre hasn’t been seen again since that run and makes her seasonal re-appearance at the track 245 days later, leaving slight question marks over her race sharpness.

She will love the rain, having strong form over heavy conditions in France and is likely to get that today.

Aidan O’Brien is a 3 time winner of the Hardwicke, most recently in 2017 with Idaho and he brings with him the in-form Broome to try his hadn’t at a fourth success in the race.

Broome has very much turned a corner this season and has returned in excellent form over 1m 2f with a hat trick of wins in Ireland, progressing from Listed to Group 2 level.

The son of Australia was just pipped at the line last time out in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1, 10f) and is now upped to the 1m 4f distance.

He acts upon soft/heavy ground and if taking to the new distance is certainly one to consider here, although 15 of the last 18 winners of this race had won over 1m 4f beforehand, thereby making it a better bet to be proven at the distance.

Trainer, Owen Burrows, will have very much targeted this race with his entrant Hukum.

The son of Sea The Stars looked sure to have needed the run first time out when finishing 4th in the Gordon Richards Stakes (G3, 10f) before dropping in class to land the listed Tapster stakes at Goodwood (12f) upon soft ground.

The 4yo colt is an honest type who is expected to give a decent account of himself and looks a fairly solid pick over the distance with soft underfoot conditions to suit.

He also has C&D form at the track having won the King George V stakes (cl2, 12f) here as a 3yo.

William Haggas entrant, Ilaraab, is very much a progressive type and has now won his last 6 races on the bounce with 6 wins from 7 career starts.

The son of Wooton Bassett looks very much like a group horse in waiting, despite doing his winning in handicap races.

The conditions will very much favour him in the race having won 3 times upon rain laden ground and if dealing with the sharp step up in class could be in with a shout here after winning easily last time out on his first try up at the 12f distance.

Although, he does fail to live up to the key trend of 18/18 most recent winners of this race all having a past win in a Group 2/3 prior to their Hardwicke wins.

The classy Logician for John and Thady Gosden boasts a Group 1 classic win in the Doncaster St Leger (14.5f) prior to his life threatening bout of peritonitis in December 2019.

The son of Frankel marked his return with a minor class 2 win (10f) at Doncaster in a 2 runner race however has failed to reach his previous levels in his 2 Group 3 races that followed.

Frankie Dettori’s mount doesn’t appear to benefit from bottomless ground which will ultimately go against his chances in this one, whilst he also needs to make a huge step forward from his last 2 runs.

Ralph Beckett’s, Albaflora, is another runner in the race who will be sure to enjoy the rain.

The daughter of Muhaarar has good Ascot form with a head loss over 14f in a listed event before subsequently landing the listed Buckhounds Stakes at the track next time out when dropped back to 12f on her seasonal re-appearance.

A fairly creditable but well-beaten 4th last time out looked a tough race 14 days ago thereby leaving question marks over her turnaround time for what looks to be another testing event.

She also fails to live up to the trend of 18/18 most recent winners of this race all having a past win in a Group 2/3 race.

Mark Johnston is a 2 time winner of the Hardwicke Stakes and brings with him classy front runner, Sir Ron Priestley, to Ascot.

The son of Australia will be considered dangerous if let lose on the lead in the race and the return to the 1 1/2 mile distance looks sure to suit.

He’s a type who should have more to offer and a line can be drawn through his last run after not looking at his best over the increased 1m 6f distance.

Having said this, Ascot’s record for front runners is not the prettiest, the best of his form is over faster conditions and a 13th of 16 placed finish on his last visit to the track doesn’t bode well for his chances.

Aiden O'Brien's second entrant, Japan, marked his seasonal return with a solid Group 3 victory at Chester (13.5f) upon good to soft conditions.

The classy son of Galileo was below par next time out however when stepping back up to Group 1 level in the Coronation Cup (12f) and will need to bounce back in order to be involved here.

He was a multiple Group 1 winner as a 3yo, formely over the 12f distance, whilst also boasting a Group 2 C&D victory here at Ascot.

If anywhere near his 3yo form, he'll be right in the mix of things however his latest run doesn't provide too much confidence and extreme bottomless ground may fail to suit.

Aiden O'Brien's third entrant, Tiger Moth, on form, looks well in with a shout here having finished a head 2nd over 12f in the Irish Derby (G1) as a 3yo.

The son of Galileo's 2nd placed finish in the Melbourne Cup (G1, 16f) also showcased his stamina capabilities over the longer trip, albeit well in at the weights for the affair.

He drops back to the 12f trip today however will need to drastically bounce back from a last placed finish on his seasonal re-appearance last time out upon heavy conditions in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1, 10.5f), which looked to be over a trip and upon ground that didn't suit.

Sir Michael Stoute has won the Hardwicke a record 11 times, so it’s no surprise to see a sharp influx of money set upon his runner, Highest Ground, from when the markets opened.

The son of Frankel looked to have improved to win a small field race at Leicester (12f) just 12 days ago and fits the bill as a horse that improves with age, typical of that of a Sir Michael Stoute runner.

Having said this, the race he won was a sharp decrease in class to class 3 company and the turnaround time of 12 days does look to cut it close, especially in what will be a tough race upon bottomless ground.

Aiden O'Brien's Mogul cost connections 3.4 million guineas as a yearling and posses' Group 1 victories over the 12f distance in France and Hong-Kong upon good ground.

The son of Galileo has been in poor form since his seasonal re-appearance in March however, signified further by a 38 length beating into last, last time out in the Coronation Cup.

He'll need to bounce back significantly to be involved here and isn't sure to suit the heavy conditions he's likely to encounter.

Mark Johnston's second entrant in the race, Thunderous, was a Group 2 winner as a 3yo, finishing a neck ahead of re-opposing rival, Highest Ground over a reduced 10.5f distance at York.

Respectable yet below par efforts this term pose question marks over his chances in this race however with 4 1/2 lengths to make up on stablemate Sir Ron Priestly based on his Group 2 effort at York (12f).

His front running style may also not play suit to the track, although he does act well upon soft underfoot conditions and may improve for first time headgear meaning he shouldn't be completely disregarded.

Bangkok for Andrew Balding has been seen to decent effect upon the all-weather of late, specifically at Lingfield with runner up and listed success' over 10f.

The son of Australia finished a 4 1/2 length runner up on one of his only attempts at the 12f distance here at Ascot as a 3yo in the King Edward VIII Stakes (G2) behind re-opposing rival Japan.

He's unsure to be suited by heavy conditions on display at the track, whilst his past form falls somewhat short of a potential race winner.

Deja, for trainer, Peter Chapple-Hyam, was very progressive as a 3yo and a 4yo improving to land class 2 spoils at Haydock upon soft ground.

The 6yo gelding was disappointing last time out over C&D however when 24 lengths off the pace in listed company behind re-opposing rival and race winner Albaflora.

Based on that evidence, he has a lot to find here.

Pablo Escobarr was a Group 3 winner upon fast ground at Goodwood last season (12f) however failed to follow up upon soft ground when upped to 14f in the Ebor handicap (14f) next time out.

A last placed finish on his seasonal re-appearance over 12f in a Group 2 behind re-opposing rivals Sir Ron Priestley and Thunderous puts him well off the pace in this one with huge improvement needed.