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Racecards

15:40 Ascot

Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1)

  • 7 Runners
  • Distance: 1m 4f
  • Going: Good to Firm (Firm in places)
  • Surface: Turf
  • £200,000 added
  • Winner: £113,420
  • 2nd: £43,000
  • 3rd: £21,520
  • 4th: £10,720
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 2m 31.51s
  • Off Time: 15:40:18
  • 7 Ran
1
Silk -
12/1

    2
    Silk -
    2/1

      1(3)
      Silk - Maroon

      Eagle Top

      23 CD
      2/1
      • Form 1414-4
      • Age 4
      • Weight 9-1
      • Official Rating 119

      took keen hold in 3rd, pushed along and unable to quicken when held in pocket approaching final 2f, ridden not clear run and switched left over 1f out, stayed on under pressure inside final furlong, went 2nd post, no chance with winner

      2(5)
      Silk - DARK BLUE, YELLOW cap

      Hillstar

      244 DCD
      16/1
      • Form 222211-
      • Age 5
      • Weight 9-1
      • Official Rating 117

      took keen hold, held up in last trio, pushed along and outpaced over 2f out, plugged on inside final furlong, modest 5th towards finish

      3(7)
      Silk - Yellow, large Black spots and spots on cap
      7/2
      • Form 4311-23
      • Age 4
      • Weight 9-1
      • Official Rating 118

      took keen hold, tracked leaders on outside and forced to race with no cover, 3rd approaching final 2f, driven into 2nd over 1f out, no chance with winner, lost 2nd post

      4(1)
      Silk - Light Blue and Red diamonds, Light Blue sleeves, Red cap, Light Blue diamond
      33/1
      • Form 726-520
      • Age 9
      • Weight 9-1
      • Official Rating 115

      held up in last trio, pushed along and outpaced over 3f out, weakened over 2f out, tailed off and eased over 1f out

      5(4)
      Silk - White, Red chevron, hooped sleeves, Red cap
      33/1
      • Form 116-254
      • Age 6
      • Weight 9-1
      • Official Rating 113

      steadied start, held up in rear in steadily run race, hanging right when outpaced over 2f out, stayed on inside final furlong, went modest 4th towards finish

      6(2)
      Silk - Green, pink sash and cap, white sleeves

      Snow Sky

      36 D
      12/1
      • Form 41237-1
      • Age 4
      • Weight 9-1
      • Official Rating 115

      led and set steady pace, quickened tempo 3f out, pushed clear 2f out, ridden over 1f out, stayed on strongly, unchallenged

      7(6)
      Silk - Light blue, dark blue armlets, dark blue cap
      6/4
      • Form 1234-21
      • Age 5
      • Weight 9-1
      • Official Rating 120

      took keen hold tracking winner, pushed along 3f out, ridden and no chance with winner when lost 2nd over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong

      Previous results

      In depth

      Verdict

      Sir Michael Stoute has trained the winner of this in five of the last nine years and is responsible for nearly half of the seven-strong field this time. Telescope and Hillstar gave the yard a 1-2 last year and the former arrives off the back of a confidence-boosting victory in a Listed race at Newbury. The latter won a Grade 1 in Canada in October but hasn't raced since. Stoute's Snow Sky will also be a threat as he was very impressive when beating Brown Panther over 1m6f in the Yorkshire Cup and is a genuine Group 1 performer nowadays. But he was no match for POSTPONED (NAP) in last year's Great Voltigeur at York and Luca Cumani's colt now looks ready to record his first victory at the highest level having gone very close in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh last month when Wednesday's unlucky Prince Of Wales's Stakes runner-up The Grey Gatsby was behind - the faster ground and return to 1m4f is ideal. Eagle Top beat Snow Sky in the King Edward VII Stakes here last year and isn't out of this having needed his run in the Brigadier Gerard.

      Formwatch

      Eagle Top 11-4 (9-0) Raced keenly tracking leader, upsides and every chance 2f out, shaken up and one pace when lost 2nd over 1f out, no extra and lost 3rd inside final 150 yards, 4th of 5, 2 1/2l behind Western Hymn (9-3) at Sandown 1m 2f Grp 3 (1) gf in May.

      Hillstar 5-4fav (9-0) Led midstr,drvg to end, won at Woodbine(USA) 1m 4f Grp 1 gd in Oct beating Big Blue Kitten (9-0) by 3/4l, 10 ran.

      Postponed (IRE) 3-1 (9-3) Led, pressed 2f out, narrowly headed inside final furlong, kept on well, dropped to 3rd near line, 3rd of 6, 1/2l behind Al Kazeem (9-3) at Curragh 1m 2f Grp 1 (1) gd in May.

      Red Cadeaux (9-0) 11th of 12, 6l behind Blazing Speed (9-0) at Sha Tin(HK) 1m 2f Grp 1 (1) gf in Apr.

      Sheikhzayedroad 12-1 (9-0) Tracked leaders, went 2nd over 7f out until over 2f out, weakened final furlong, last of 4, 6l behind Pether's Moon (9-0) at Epsom Downs 1m 4f Grp 1 (1) gf.

      Snow Sky 5-2 (8-13) Towards rear, pushed along over 4f out, headway over 3f out, led over narrowly over 1f out, held on near finish, won at York 1m 6f Grp 2 (1) gf in May beating Brown Panther (9-5) by 1/2l, 6 ran.

      Telescope (IRE) 8-13fav (9-0) Tracked leaders, led over 2f out, ridden over 1f out, soon clear, won at Newbury 1m 4f Listed stks (1) gd in May beating Dubday (9-3) by 6l, 8 ran.