The Hardwicke Stakes is a Group 2 contest run over 1m4f. It takes place at 15:40 on Saturday 20th June, which is the fifth day of Royal Ascot 2026. View the runners here, and also make sure to check out the odds and tips on offer for this race.

NO.DRAW
FORM

HORSE

Predict the Winner

ODDS

JOCKEY& TRAINER

AGE

WGT

RPR

10⁽⁶⁾

-42222

West Wind Blows

J: William Buick

T: Simon & Ed Crisford

9-3

115

129

Runner-up in a weaker edition of this contest in 2023; benefited from good tactical ride when almost certainly flattered by his proximity to Calandagan in Meydan Group 1 in March and received 4lb when only a neck behind Kalpana at Newbury most recently; worse off with that mare and has never won above Group 3 level but is otherwise a consistent sort who should again give his running.

4⁽⁴⁾

142-33

Giavellotto

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Marco Botti

9-3

120

133

Has finished in front of Kalpana twice but that rival had excuses both times; far from certain to confirm the placings but he's still one of the main players on the figures back down in grade; his Group 1 form features a success and creditable second in the last two runnings of the Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin (1m4f, good); unsuited by the way the race panned out at Meydan latest start.

8⁽⁵⁾

1-1916

Phantom Flight

J: Billy Loughnane

T: George Scott

9-3

110

126

Enhanced his good strike-rate in Bahrain with Group 3 success in April; weakened into last of six (well below par) at Newbury since and it's nearly two years since he last prevailed on home soil; doubts are cemented by this difficult assignment back up in grade.

3⁽⁹⁾

/111-5

Ethical Diamond

J: Dylan Browne McMonagle

T: W P Mullins

9-3

120

133

Ploughed a remarkable path last year, having gone from running well at the Cheltenham Festival to completing a prestigious Flat hat-trick (1m4f/1m6f, firm/good to firm) that comprised wins in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot, Ebor at York and Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar; best to forgive his below-par effort behind two of today's rivals at Meydan in sole run this term (race panned out unfavourably); notable contender, with his excellent 2025 progress still in mind.

5⁽¹⁰⁾

103-21

Goliath

J: Christophe Soumillon

T: F-H Graffard

9-3

119

135

Acts on any ground; has shown very smart form in various parts of the world, most recently prevailing in Group 2 contest in France where he is trained; record over C&D comprises a creditable second in this race and easy success (recorded peak RPR) in the King George, both in 2024; gained his other Group 1 win on German soil last season; strong contender on belated return to this venue.

6⁽³⁾

214-12

Jan Brueghel

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O'Brien

9-3

123

137

Dual Group 1 winner who has a record of 6-9 overall and had a mitigating factor (set an unsuitably steady pace) in his 2025 King George defeat in sole C&D attempt; played a distant second fiddle last time when bidding for a Coronation Cup double at Epsom but nothing behind the winner showed their form in the rain-soaked conditions; the peak form he showed when beating Calandagan 12 months earlier gives him a big chance in this field.

9⁽¹¹⁾

13-144

Sons And Lovers

J: Pierre-Charles Boudot

T: Joseph Patrick O'Brien

9-3

111

123

Generally consistent performer who wasn't disgraced on bare figures at Chester (1m5f) last time but finished almost 8l behind Jan Brueghel, getting nowhere near to defying a penalty for his Group 2 Saudi handicap win (1m7f); faces a stiff task and needs help from first-time headgear.

11⁽²⁾

2271-1

Kalpana

J: Colin Keane

T: Andrew Balding

9-0

120

137

Very smart mare who defied a penalty in Group 3 at Newbury (1m4f; beat West Wind Blows by a neck) on seasonal debut, taking record since wearing cheekpieces to 2-3 and running right up to her best; strong record at Ascot features wins in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes for the last two years (soft/good) and an excellent second in the 2025 King George; avoids a Group 1 penalty in this race and has a major chance at the weights.

12⁽⁸⁾

112-12

Santorini Star

J: Tom Marquand

T: William Haggas

9-0

111

127

Versatile as regards ground; broadly progressive and versatile mare whose strike-rate is 7-13; last four performances (1m4f-1m7f) were two wins at Group 2 level and second-place finishes in Group 1 races, beaten only narrowly at Longchamp most recently; currently falls short of the standard set by the other female in this field but has a trajectory that bodes well; wears first-time headgear; adds interest.

1⁽¹²⁾

1124-6

Amiloc

J: Rossa Ryan

T: Ralph Beckett

9-3

115

129

Unraced on ground slower than good to yielding; disappointing favourite in the Yorkshire Cup on reappearance but that's his only blip in an otherwise progressive career; justified favouritism in the King Edward VII Stakes over C&D at this meeting (good to firm) 12 months ago, taking record at that time to 5-5, then ran well in the Irish St Leger and Breeders' Cup Turf; possibilities, provided his upward trajectory is resumed.

2⁽⁷⁾

311-61

Best Secret

J: James Doyle

T: S Wattel

9-3

115

128

Versatile as regards ground; French colt whose form on British soil comprises a good third at Royal Ascot and success at Glorious Goodwood last term, both in 1m2f handicaps; beat West Wind Blows by 3l in Group 3 at Longchamp most recently, making it four wins from his last six starts and taking record over 1m4f to 2-2; progressive and may well rate higher still, especially at this trip; faces hotter company upped to this big stage but warrants respect the way he's going.

7⁽¹⁾

154-13

Lambourn

J: Wayne Lordan

T: A P O'Brien

9-3

118

133

Winner of the 2025 Derby; has worn cheekpieces this season, gamely beating Bay City Roller in the Huxley at Chester (good-ground Group 2) then failing by a long way to confirm the placings in a one-sided Coronation Cup on softer going; behind stablemate Jan Brueghel in that contest and is still a tad inferior to that horse on ratings but it will be interesting to see what he can do in the retained headgear returned to a forecast faster surface.

RACING POST TIP

Best Secret

Six Group/Grade 1 winners and a few progressive sorts are among the contestants in a deep Hardwicke. Kalpana (second pick) commands particular respect on favourable terms at a track that suits her well, but a strict line through West Wind Blows makes French colt BEST SECRET a plausible alternative, especially as he's still improving and remains unbeaten over today's distance. The selection's compatriot Goliath holds robust claims, while a peak-form Jan Brueghel would be a big threat and not many of others can be comfortably ruled out either.

Royal Ascot Free Bets

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Past 10 Winners

Year	Horse [Draw]	Age	Weight	SP	Trainer	Jockey
2025	Rebel’s Romance	7	9-3	6/4F	Charlie Appleby	William Buick
2024	Isle of Jura [5]	4	9-3	16/1	George Scott	Callum Shepherd
2023	Pyledriver [5]	6	9-3	7/2	William Muir & Chris Grassick	P J McDonald
2022	Broome [7]	6	9-3	6/1	A P O’Brien	Ryan Moore
2021	Wonderful Tonight [11]	4	8-12	5/1	David Menuisier	William Buick
2020	Fanny Logan [8]	4	8-12	17/2	John Gosden	Frankie Dettori
2019	Defoe [7]	5	9-1	11/4F	Roger Varian	Andrea Atzeni
2018	Crystal Ocean [4]	4	9-1	4/7F	Sir Michael Stoute	Ryan Moore
2017	Idaho [7]	4	9-1	9/2	A P O’Brien	Seamie Heffernan
2016	Dartmouth [4]	4	9-1	10-1	Sir Michael Stoute	Olivier Peslier

Key race stats 2026

Key trends

Group-race winner, 10/10
Adjusted RPR of at least 128, 10/10
Distance winner, 9/10
Top-two finish last time out, 8/10
Aged four, 6/10
Finished in the first three in a Listed or Group race that season, 7/10

Other factors

Six winners scored last time out.

Five winners were RPR top-rated.

What happened in the Hardwicke Stakes last year?

A race that didn’t look the strongest was taken by the well-decorated 6-4 favourite Rebel’s Romance, winning from a wide draw. William Buick kept the seven-year-old wide down Swinley Bottom before cutting in at the bend. He made his move as they turned in and led the length of the straight to win. A race that went to script in terms of the market, Al Riffa was second with Amo Racing’s new £2,000,000 purchase Ghostwriter taking third.

Hardwicke Stakes

15:05 Royal Ascot

RACING POST TIP

Royal Ascot Free Bets

Past 10 Winners

Key race stats 2026

What happened in the Hardwicke Stakes last year?

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