15:05 Royal Ascot

Saturday 21 June 2025

Premier Race Day Text
All14:3015:0515:4016:2017:0017:3518:10

Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2)

  • 4YO plus  |   Class 1  |   1m 3f 211y  |   Good to Firm  |   12 Runners  |   Turf  |   Weighed In
  • Off time: 15:07  |   Winning time: 2m 28.23s
1st
Horse silk
9
(11)
Rebel's Romance
79-3
6/4f
T: C ApplebyJ: W Buick
Raced wide early, chased leaders, closed 3f out, led over 2f out, soon ridden, stayed on strongly inside final furlong op 13/8
2nd
Horse silk
1 ¾
2
(7)
Al Riffa
59-3
4/1
T: J P O'BrienJ: Dylan Browne McMonagle
Held up in mid-division, pushed along and headway on outside 3f out, went 2nd well over 1f out, stayed on but unable to get on terms with winner op 6/1
3rd
Horse silk
1 ½
7
(2)
Ghostwriter
49-3
5/1
T: C G CoxJ: D Egan
Keen early, chased leaders, ridden and unable to quicken 2f out, went 3rd just over 1f out, kept on, no impression on front pair op 11/2
4th
Horse silk
1 ¼
8
(6)
Palladium
49-3
16/1
T: J & T GosdenJ: R L Moore
In touch in mid-division, headway 3f out, ridden over 2f out, stayed on same pace final furlong op 11/1
4th
Horse silk
dh
11
(5)
Sunway
49-3
10/1
T: D MenuisierJ: Oisin Murphy
Chased leader, led over 3f out, headed over 2f out, stayed on same pace inside final furlong op 17/2
6th
Horse silk
¾
12
(12)
Tabletalk
49-3
25/1
T: Tom CloverJ: Rossa Ryan
Held up in rear, headway and switched left over 2f out, never involved with leaders
7th
Horse silk
½
1
(10)
Al Aasy
89-3
12/1
T: W J HaggasJ: Jim Crowley
Held up in rear, some headway when not clear run over 2f out, soon switched left, kept on from over 1f out but never on terms op 10/1
8th
Horse silk
6 ½
4
(8)
Burdett Road
59-3
40/1
T: James OwenJ: S D Bowen
Held up towards rear, outpaced on outside over 2f out, well beaten after op 28/1
9th
Horse silk
1 ¼
3
(9)
Bellum Justum
49-3
33/1
T: A M BaldingJ: P J McDonald
Held up in mid-division, not much room and switched left over 2f out, no impression, well beaten over 1f out op 22/1
10th
Horse silk
1 ½
10
(1)
Space Legend
49-3
25/1
T: W J HaggasJ: James Doyle
Soon led, headed over 3f out, hung right and weakened from over 2f out op 18/1
11th
Horse silk
9
6
(3)
Epic Poet
69-3
25/1
T: D O'MearaJ: D Tudhope
Held up towards rear, hanging right when not much room over 2f out, soon well behind tchd 22/1
12th
Horse silk
4 ¾
5
(4)
Candleford
79-3
25/1
T: W J HaggasJ: Tom Marquand
Mid-division, not much room 3f out, hanging right over 2f out, no impression over 1f out, soon eased op 18/1
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Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:£2.50Pl:£1.40, £1.80, £2.20EX:£12.00Trifecta:£48.40Tricast:£25.03SF:£6.47Swingers:£3.80, £4.60, £6.10

Forecasts

Rebel's Romance (6/4), Al Riffa (4/1), Ghostwriter (5/1), Sunway (10/1), Al Aasy (12/1), Palladium (16/1), Tabletalk (25/1), Space Legend (25/1), Epic Poet (25/1), Candleford (25/1), Bellum Justum (33/1), Burdett Road (40/1)

Verdict

Group 1 winners REBEL'S ROMANCE and Al Riffa escape a penalty for this Group 2 with clear preference for the former under the likely fast conditions. Ghostwriter is another who often keeps better company so needs considering, too.

  1. REBEL'S ROMANCE (IRE)
  2. AL RIFFA (FR)
  3. GHOSTWRITER (IRE)

Previous Winners

2024
Isle Of Jura
Weight: 9-3  |Age: 4
J: Callum Shepherd  |  T: George Scott
16/1

Prize Money

1st: £141,775.002nd: £53,750.003rd: £26,900.004th: £13,400.005th: £6,725.006th: £3,375.00

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