G2 Hardwicke S.

Victorious Racing's Isle Of Jura (GB) (New Approach {Ire}--Falls Of Lora {Ire}, by Street Cry {Ire}), who enjoyed a lucrative winter campaign snagging four of five starts in Bahrain, made a winning European comeback in last month's Listed Festival Stakes and stepped forward to secure an emotional victory for rider Callum Shepherd in Saturday's G2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. The 16-1 chance was positioned fifth through the initial strides and improved one spot after the opening exchanges of this 12-furlong contest. Easing closer on the home turn and moving...

Following Monday's confirmation stage, 19 horses remain in contention for the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot, the feature race on the final day of the meeting on Saturday, June 22. They include five of the first six from last month's G2 Duke Of York S. in which Mill Stream (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) held on by a nose from Shouldvebeenaring (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}). Last year's G1 Champion Sprint S. hero Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) could manage only fifth on the Knavesmire, but he too...

Royal Ascot's G2 Hardwicke S. was missing Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), but it still had Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}--La Pyle (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) and the hero of last year's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. copied that Shadwell contemporary in overcoming his own lengthy lengthy lay-off on Saturday. Understandably over-racing in the hands of P J McDonald behind the front-running West Wind Blows (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) throughout the early stages, the 7-2 shot who had also won the G2...

Classic winner Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is pointing to either Royal Ascot's G2 Hardwicke S. later this month, or the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on July 8, according to Juddmonte's racing manager Barry Mahon. "The Hardwicke is a possibility," said Mahon of the Ralph Beckett trainee. "It's probably coming too soon, but it's a possibility. It's a toss-up between that and the [G1] Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, he'll run in one or the other of those hopefully." Last year's G1 Irish Derby hero ran fifth in the G1 King...

Multiple Group 1 winner Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) will make his long-awaited return in the G2 Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot in June, according to Chris Grassick, who trains with William Muir. A winner of the 2021 G1 Coronation Cup and 2022 G1 King George and Queen Elizabeth S., the 6-year-old entire races for the La Pyle Partnership. Various setbacks have kept Pyledriver away from the races after his King George victory last July. Grassick said, "He's cantering back and William has done the entry for the Hardwicke, so...

With the scene set on the final day of Royal Ascot, Saturday's G2 Hardwicke S. produced the inevitable as Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) conjured a 900th group win for Aidan O'Brien. Ryan Moore was the sorcerer once again, as the meeting's leading rider pulled off a front-running tour de force on the 6-1 shot who had already contributed five to that awe-inspiring tally. In many ways, last year's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud hero and Breeders' Cup Turf runner-up is a fitting horse to bring up the milestone, typifying the...

Tuesday's G1 King's Stand S. was a reminder, if it was needed, that Antipodean sprinters operate at an elevated level compared to the majority of their European counterparts and the G1 Platinum Jubilee S. which dominates the closing day of Royal Ascot 2022 could serve to underline that. While he may have been lucky to defeat stablemate Nature Strip (Aus) (Nicconi {Aus}) in the Feb. 19 G1 Black Caviar Lightning, Home Affairs (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) who had earlier captured the G1 Coolmore Stud S. also at Flemington still...