The Norfolk Stakes is a Group 2 contest run over 5f. It takes place at 14:30 on Thursday 20th June, which is the third day of Royal Ascot 2024. View the runners here, and also make sure to check out the odds and tips on offer for this race.

NO.DRAW
FORM

HORSE

ODDS

JOCKEY& TRAINER

AGE

WGT

RPR

11⁽⁷⁾

The Man

J: Hollie Doyle

T: Richard Spencer

9-3

£145,000 yearling; 100-30 when making a winning debut in a Southwell novice (5f, AW) in April; runner-up won next time, but this one needs to have improved plenty from that if he is to make an impact at this level.

8⁽¹⁰⁾

Moving Force

J: Oisin Orr

T: Richard Fahey

9-3

101

Both starts over 5f on good to firm ground at Beverley, making a winning debut in a novice last month and going down by a short head to Shareholder under a penalty in a conditions event 12 days ago; now 7lb better off with that rival and no problem with the likely ground conditions; one of two runners for stable that has won two of the last three runnings; frame material.

2⁽¹⁴⁾

121

Arizona Blaze

J: David Egan

T: Adrian Murray

9-3

107

All three runs at the Curragh, making just about all on his debut in a maiden in mid-March (5f, heavy) and although no match for Whistlejacket in a Listed contest (5f, soft) in May, he narrowly resumed winning ways in the Group 3 Marble Hill (6f, good) later in the month; this stiff 5f should suit him well and connections won this with a 150-1 shot last year; holds an entry in the Phoenix Stakes.

12⁽²⁾

Tropical Storm

J: Oisin Murphy

T: Andrew Balding

9-3

102

Some promise when fifth of eight on his debut in a Newbury maiden (5f, good to soft) in April and improved when going down by a neck in a novice at Newmarket (5f, good) last month; the only one in this field yet to win, but this race went to a maiden in 2019 and 2023 and the form of the Newmarket contest has worked out spectacularly well; entered in the Phoenix Stakes.

9⁽⁵⁾

122

Rock Hunter

J: Silvestre De Sousa

T: Amy Murphy

9-3

103

Quite impressive when making a winning debut at Chantilly (5f, heavy) in April and finished a close second behind Enchanting Empress (well held in yesterday's Queen Mary) in a conditions event over C&D (good to soft) and a Sandown Listed contest (5f, soft); possible frame material if handling the quicker ground and taking to the cheekpieces; holds a Phoenix Stakes entry.

13⁽¹¹⁾

Whistlejacket

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O'Brien

9-3

112

500,000gns yearling; brother to the stable's Little Big Bear (2yo Group 1 winner; RPR 121); second of 11 when evens for his Curragh debut (6f, soft to heavy) in April, but made no mistake when beating Arizona Blaze by nearly 4l in a Listed contest there (5f, soft) last month; high on the list for stable that has won this race three times since 2001, provided he copes with the likely quicker conditions; holds a Phoenix Stakes entry.

3⁽³⁾

Binadham

J: Benoit De La Sayette

T: Kevin Philippart De Foy

9-3

6-1 when comfortably making a winning debut in a maiden at Yarmouth (5f, good to firm) in April, despite taking a keen hold; open to improvement but those behind him at Yarmouth haven't advertised the form since, so he needs to step up a good deal.

4⁽⁹⁾

Blinky

J: Tom Marquand

T: Ed Walker

9-3

120,000gns yearling; pulled hard when fifth of six on his debut in a Salisbury novice (5f, soft) last month, but improved for the experience (as many from the stable do) and settled better when winning narrowly (first two clear) in another novice at Leicester (5f, good to soft) 12 days later; open to further improvement, but will need a good deal to be a contender in this.

1⁽¹³⁾

Aesterius

J: William Buick

T: Archie Watson

9-3

£380,000 breeze-up 2yo; justified odds of 10-11 when making a successful debut in a Bath novice (5f, good) last month; well on top at the finish there, but he needs to improve plenty in order to be competitive in this field; holds a Phoenix Stakes entry.

NR⁽¹⁾

Evening Saigon

T: Hamad Al Jehani

9-3

Non-runner.

7⁽¹²⁾

Milford

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

9-3

100

6-5 favourite and made no mistake when comfortably beating four rivals on his debut in a Hamilton maiden (5f, soft) last month; runner-up did little for the form at Chester on Saturday and this ground is likely to be very different, but he's open to improvement and the yard is having another fine season with its 2yos; stable also runs Shareholder; holds a Phoenix Stakes entry.

10⁽⁴⁾

Shareholder

J: James Doyle

T: K R Burke

9-3

460,000euros breeze-up 2yo; 6-4 favourite for his debut in a Beverley conditions event (5f, good to firm) 12 days ago and had to dig deep to get the better of Moving Force by a short head; now 7lb worse off with that rival, but he did show signs of greenness so is likely to improve with the experience under his belt; holds a Phoenix Stakes entry.

14⁽⁶⁾

Saturday Flirt

J: Joel Rosario

T: Wesley A Ward

9-0

103

Justified favouritism when coming from off the pace to make a winning debut in a fillies' maiden special weight at Keeneland (5.5f, firm) in April; her performance can be marked up as she had to come very wide in order to gain a clear run turning into the stretch, but it looked as though she needed every yard of the trip that day so can't afford to find herself so far out of her ground here; trainer won this in 2013 and 2018.

6⁽⁸⁾

Loom

J: Billy Garritty

T: Richard Fahey

9-3

100

May have done a bit too much early when seventh of 11 on his debut in a York novice (6f, good) last month, and despite still looking inexperienced he had no problem with the drop in trip when successful in a Ripon novice (5f, good) 15 days ago; needs more again, but the stable won this in 2021 and with a 50-1 shot in 2022.

RACING POST TIP

Arizona Blaze

Wesley Ward's 2yos are always of interest at this meeting and he runs the sole filly Saturday Flirt, but she took her time in making a successful debut over half a furlong further at Keeneland in April and may not get away with that here. Whistlejacket was impressive when beating ARIZONA BLAZE in a Curragh Listed contest last month, but ground conditions will be very different here and the runner-up has since shown his liking for a faster surface when winning a Group 3 at the same track. He is therefore a sporting selection to reverse the form for last year's winning connections. Milford made his winning debut on soft ground but shouldn't be passed over lightly and neither should his stablemate Shareholder who just got the better of Moving Force on his Beverley debut on a fast surface. The latter could also run well with a 7lb pull and the stable has taken two of the last three runnings.

Verdict

Past 10 Winners

Year	Horse [Draw]	Age	Weight	SP	Trainer	Jockey
2023	Valiant Force [5]	2	9-3	150/1	Adrian Murray	Rossa Ryan
2022	The Ridler [2]	2	9-3	50/1	Richard Fahey	Paul Hanagan
2021	Perfect Power [10]	2	9-1	14-1	Richard Fahey	Paul Hanagan
2020	The Lir Jet [1]	2	9-1	9/2	Michael Bell	Oisin Murphy
2019	A’Ali [9]	2	9-1	5/1	Simon Crisford	Frankie Dettori
2018	Shang Shang Shang [4]	2	8-12	5/1	Wesley A Ward	Joel Rosario
2017	Sioux Nation [2]	2	9-1	14/1	A P O’Brien	Ryan Moore
2016	Prince Of Lir [10]	2	9-1	8/1	Robert Cowell	Luke Morris
2015	Waterloo Bridge [8]	2	9-1	12/1	A P O’Brien	Ryan Moore
2014	Baitha Alga [7]	2	9-1	8/1	Richard Hannon	Frankie Dettori

Key race stats 2024

Key trends

By a sire with a stamina index between 6.7 and 8.3f, nine winners in last ten runnings
Won within last two starts, 8/10
Top-three finish last time out, 8/10 (six won)
Adjusted RPR of at least 100, 7/10
Beaten on debut, 7/10 (all exceptions once-raced winners)

Other factors

Only five winners had scored over 5f.

Six fillies have run in the last decade, finishing 990156.

What happened in the Norfolk Stakes last year?

VALIANT FORCE, a 150/1 winner and with hindsight, was a silly price considering he was beaten under a length by His Majesty (11-2 SP) in a 5f Listed race on their debuts and was then isolated from the main pack when fifth in a 6f Group 3, both starts coming at the Curragh. He showed his true worth this time. Malc won a Carlisle novice on his debut and his trainer had the last two winners of this race. Elite Status came in 2-2 and was the subject of bullish quotes from his trainer, but he ran well, not helping himself by wandering in the closing stages. His Majesty had finished in front of this winner in their two previous starts, so maybe it was the case that he was simply on the wrong side this time, but he can’t have helped himself with a slow start.

Norfolk Stakes

14:30 Royal Ascot

RACING POST TIP

Verdict

Past 10 Winners

Key race stats 2024

What happened in the Norfolk Stakes last year?

All Races