Hardwicke Stakes

The Hardwicke Stakes is a Group 2 race over a mile and a half on the final day of Royal Ascot.

Sir Michael Stoute has trained a remarkable eleven winners of the Hardwicke Stakes.

Harbinger was a very impressive winner in 2010 and he saddled Her Majesty The Queen’s Dartmouth to win in 2016. His most recent victory came with Crystal Ocean in 2018.

Other famous winners of the Hardwicke Stakes include St Paddy (1961), Park Top (1969), Rheingold (1973) and Stanerra (1983).

Find out more about the Hardwicke Stakes:

Contents

1 Race Overview
2 Hardwicke Stakes 2023 Odds
3 Hardwicke Stakes Tips
4 Hardwicke Stakes Previous Winners
5 Hardwicke Stakes Previous Result
6 Famous Hardwicke Stakes Winners
7 Key Hardwicke Stakes Trials
8 Hardwicke Stakes Betting Trends
9 Hardwicke Stakes – Top Trainers and Jockeys
10 Betting on the Hardwicke Stakes
11 Summary of Hardwicke Stakes
12 Popular Questions
- 12.1 What distance is the Hardwicke Stakes?
13 2023 Royal Ascot Festival Posts
14 Related June Articles
15 Resources

Race Overview

The Hardwicke Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race for horses aged four and higher held in the United Kingdom. It takes place at Ascot in June over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards.

Check out our guides to all the other Group 2 horse races.

Hardwicke Stakes 2023 Odds

Here are the latest odds for the Hardwicke Stakes in June 2023:

These odds have not yet been released.

Here is the full list of betting odds at Royal Ascot Races today.

Hardwicke Stakes Tips

Here are some tips for Hardwicke Stakes in June 2023:

2 points to win for TBC
1 point each way for TBC

Some of the horses in the Hardwicke Stakes will run in other events later in the year. Stay updated on the horses and place ante-post bets if you want to wager on them.

Check out our guide for additional tips on races at Ascot Racecourse.

Our top racing analysts provide free racing predictions for all Ascot racing events!

Hardwicke Stakes Previous Winners

Check out the previous winners below:

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Time
1923	Chosroes	3	G Smith	Atty Persse
1924	Chosroes	4	George Archibald	Atty Persse
1925	Hurstwood	4	Vic Smyth	Alec Taylor Jr.
1926	Lancegaye	3	Steve Donoghue	Alec Taylor Jr.
1927	Coronach	4	Joe Childs	Fred Darling
1928	Foliation	5	Bobby Jones	Joseph Lawson
1929	Posterity	3	Leslie Cordell	Frederick Sneyd
1930	Alcester	4	Joe Childs	William Jarvis
1931	Orpen	3	Bobby Jones	Joseph Lawson
1932	Goyescas	4	Steve Donoghue	Basil Jarvis
1933	Limelight	4	Joe Childs	William Jarvis
1934	Cotoneaster	4	George Nicoll	Fred Templeman
1935	J R Smith	3	Gordon Richards	Cecil Boyd-Rochfort
1936	Corrida	4	Charlie Elliott	John Evelyn Watts
1937	Mid-day Sun	3	Michael Beary	Frank Butters
1938	Maranta	4	Tommy Weston	Joseph Lawson
1939	Pointis	3	Doug Smith	Frank Butters
1940-45	no race
1946	Priam	4	Charlie Elliott	Charles Semblat
1947	Nirgal	4	Charlie Elliott	Charles Semblat
1948	Sayajirao	4	Charlie Smirke	Sam Armstrong
1949	Helioscope	3	Joe Sime	Cecil Boyd-Rochfort
1950	Peter Flower	4	Bill Rickaby	Jack Jarvis
1951	Saturn	4	Doug Smith	George Colling
1952	Dynamiter	4	Charlie Elliott	Charles Semblat
1953	Guersant	4	P Blanc	Geoffroy Watson
1954	Aureole	5	Eph Smith	Cecil Boyd-Rochfort
1955	Elopement	4	Lester Piggott	Noel Murless
1956	Hugh Lupus	4	Rae Johnstone	Noel Murless
1957	Fric	5	Jean Deforge	Joseph Lawson
1958	Brioche	4	Edgar Britt	Charles Elsey	2:28.60
1959	Impatient	4	Jimmy Lindley	Towser Gosden	2:31.10
1960	Aggressor	5	Jimmy Lindley	Towser Gosden	2:29.90
1961	St Paddy	4	Lester Piggott	Noel Murless
1962	Aurelius	4	Scobie Breasley	Noel Murless
1963	Miralgo	4	Bill Williamson	Harry Wragg
1964	no race, course waterlogged[a]
1965	Soderini	4	Geoff Lewis	Staff Ingham	2:59.70
1966	Prominer	4	Des Lake	Paddy Prendergast	2:37.50
1967	Salvo	4	Ron Hutchinson	Harry Wragg
1968	Hopeful Venture	4	Sandy Barclay	Noel Murless	2:35.00
1969	Park Top	5	Geoff Lewis	Bernard van Cutsem	2:59.00
1970	Karabas	5	Lester Piggott	Bernard van Cutsem	2:30.60
1971	Ortis	4	Duncan Keith	Peter Walwyn	2:48.20
1972	Selhurst	4	Geoff Lewis	Noel Murless	2:32.60
1973	Rheingold	4	Yves Saint-Martin	Barry Hills	2:36.80
1974	Relay Race	4	Lester Piggott	Henry Cecil	2:31.00
1975	Charlie Bubbles	4	Pat Eddery	Peter Walwyn	2:29.90
1976	Orange Bay	4	Pat Eddery	Peter Walwyn	2:30.00
1977	Meneval	4	Lester Piggott	Vincent O'Brien	2:37.20
1978	Montcontour	4	Yves Saint-Martin	Maurice Zilber	2:33.30
1979	Obraztsovy	4	Brian Taylor	Ryan Price	2:32.30
1980	Scorpio	4	Philippe Paquet	François Boutin	2:32.20
1981	Pelerin	4	Brian Taylor	Harry Wragg	2:28.40
1982	Critique	4	Lester Piggott	Henry Cecil	2:29.90
1983	Stanerra	5	Brian Rouse	Frank Dunne	2:27.00
1984	Khairpour	5	Steve Cauthen	Fulke Johnson Houghton	2:30.79
1985	Jupiter Island	6	Lester Piggott	Clive Brittain	2:45.40
1986	Dihistan	4	Pat Eddery	Michael Stoute	2:29.32
1987	Orban	4	Steve Cauthen	Henry Cecil	2:43.03
1988	Almaarad	5	Willie Carson	John Dunlop	2:30.30
1989	Assatis	4	Pat Eddery	Guy Harwood	2:29.04
1990	Assatis	5	Ray Cochrane	Guy Harwood	2:32.53
1991	Rock Hopper [b]	4	Pat Eddery	Michael Stoute	2:30.20
1992	Rock Hopper	5	Pat Eddery	Michael Stoute	2:29.19
1993	Jeune	4	Ray Cochrane	Geoff Wragg	2:39.43
1994	Bobzao	5	John Reid	Terry Mills	2:27.36
1995	Beauchamp Hero	5	John Reid	John Dunlop	2:29.22
1996	Oscar Schindler	4	Michael Kinane	Kevin Prendergast	2:27.84
1997	Predappio	4	Gary Stevens	Saeed bin Suroor	2:32.14
1998	Posidonas	6	Pat Eddery	Paul Cole	2:34.79
1999	Fruits of Love	4	Olivier Peslier	Mark Johnston	2:28.70
2000	Fruits of Love	5	Olivier Peslier	Mark Johnston	2:31.10
2001	Sandmason	4	Willie Ryan	Henry Cecil	2:29.59
2002	Zindabad	6	Kevin Darley	Mark Johnston	2:31.18
2003	Indian Creek	5	Richard Quinn	David Elsworth	2:27.24
2004	Doyen	4	Frankie Dettori	Saeed bin Suroor	2:26.53
2005	Bandari [c]	6	Willie Supple	Mark Johnston	2:26.28
2006	Maraahel	5	Richard Hills	Michael Stoute	2:29.25
2007	Maraahel	6	Richard Hills	Michael Stoute	2:35.47
2008	Macarthur	4	Johnny Murtagh	Aidan O'Brien	2:31.29
2009	Bronze Cannon	4	Jimmy Fortune	John Gosden	2:27.59
2010	Harbinger	4	Ryan Moore	Michael Stoute	2:27.36
2011	Await the Dawn	4	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien	2:38.40
2012	Sea Moon	4	Ryan Moore	Michael Stoute	2:29.60
2013	Thomas Chippendale	4	Johnny Murtagh	Lady Cecil	2:30.65
2014	Telescope	4	Ryan Moore	Michael Stoute	2:27.45
2015	Snow Sky	4	Pat Smullen	Michael Stoute	2:31.51
2016	Dartmouth	4	Olivier Peslier	Michael Stoute	2:32.06
2017	Idaho	4	Seamie Heffernan	Aidan O'Brien	2:28.94
2018	Crystal Ocean	4	Ryan Moore	Michael Stoute	2:28.08
2019	Defoe	5	Andrea Atzeni	Roger Varian	2:31.09
2020	Fanny Logan	4	Frankie Dettori	John Gosden	2:34.49
2021	Wonderful Tonight	4	William Buick	David Menusier	2:35.31
2022	Broome	6	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien	2:30.07
2023	Pyledriver	6	P. J. McDonald	William Muir & Chris Grassick	2:29.60

Hardwicke Stakes Previous Result

Check out this result from the Ascot Racecourse:

PYLEDRIVER (Harbour Watch) returns with a vengeance, pulling away to win the G2 Hardwicke Stakes at #RoyalAscot! pic.twitter.com/0tZ2aqzJG5

— TDN (@theTDN) June 24, 2023

More results from Royal Ascot Racecourse can be found here.

Famous Hardwicke Stakes Winners

The Hardwicke Stakes was first run in 1879 and quickly became established as a key trial for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Her Majesty The Queen’s Aureole became the first horse to win both races in the same season in 1954. Aureole was the sire of 1960 Derby and St Leger winner St Paddy who would also win the Hardwicke Stakes in 1961.

Park Top was another top class Hardwicke Stakes winner in 1969. She went on to win the King George and finished runner-up to 52-1 outsider Levmoss in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Rheingold (1973) had been beaten a short-head by Roberto in the Epsom Derby the previous season and went on to win the Arc.

Tristan (1882 – 1884) is the only horse to win the race three times. There have been several two-time winners include Assatis (1989-1990), Rock Hopper (1991-1992), Fruits Of Love (1999-2000) and Maraahel (2007-2008).

Harbinger (2010) had always promised to be a top class performer and he followed up by defeating Derby winner and stable companion Workforce in the King George. He beat the track record set by Grundy in 1975 when storming 11 lengths clear. Unfortunately he suffered a career-ending injury when being trained for the International Stakes at York.

Stoute continued his dominance of the race with the likes of Sea Moon (2012) and Telescope (2014). Aidan O’Brien’s Idaho won in 2017, placed in the Derby the previous season and beaten at odds-on in the St Leger at Doncaster where he stumbled and unseated his rider. Stoute’s record eleventh Hardwicke Stakes victory came courtesy of Crystal Ocean in 2018. He next ran in the King George where he lost out narrowly to stable companion Poet’s Word.

Key Hardwicke Stakes Trials

Significant prep races for the Hardwicke include the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown in April and the Aston Park Stakes at Newbury in May. The Ormonde Stakes and Huxley Stakes at the Chester May meeting are also useful guides for your Hardwicke Stakes tips.

The Hardwicke Stakes is a recognised trial for the Group 1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Harbinger in 2010 was the only horse to win both races in recent seasons, although several have been placed. Telescope (2014) and Crystal Ocean (2018) were both runner-up while Maraahel (2007), Dartmouth (2016) and Idaho (2017) all finished third.

Hardwicke Stakes Betting Trends

Four-year-olds have the best record in this race, winning thirteen out of fourteen renewals from 2008 to 2021. Posidonas (1996), Bandari (2005) and Maraahel (2007) did win the race at the age of six but only Defoe, successful as a five-year-old in 2019, has interrupted the run of winning four-year-olds.

Favourites have a good record in this race and shock results are rare. Six of the last twelve renewals were won by the market leader including the odds-on Harbinger (2010), Await The Dawn (2011) and Crystal Ocean (2018). Four of the twelve came from outside of the first three in the Hardwicke Stakes odds; Thomas Chippendale (2013) returned at 8-1, Snow Sky (2015) was a 12-1 chance and Dartmouth (2016) won at 10-1. The most recent was John Gosden’s Fanny Logan at 17-2 in 2020.

The last twelve Hardwicke Stakes winners all had at least one previous victory at Group race level. Many had won or been placed in their previous race, often within two months of Royal Ascot. Previous winning form at a mile and a half is another key factor. Only two of the last twelve winners had yet to win at a mile and a half.

An official rating of 114 or higher is usually required to win this race. Only Thomas Chippendale (111) fell below this mark in the last twelve years. The highest rated winner was Crystal Ocean (2018) on 122, 1lb higher than Sea Moon (2012) and 2lbs higher than Harbinger (2010) and Await The Dawn (2011).

Hardwicke Stakes – Top Trainers and Jockeys

Sir Michael Stoute recorded the first of his eleven Hardwicke Stakes wins with Dihistan in 1986. He also trained dual winners Rock Hopper (1991 and 1992) and Maraahel (2006 and 2007). His other winners were Harbinger (2010), Sea Moon (2012), Telescope (2014), Snow Sky (2015), Dartmouth (2016) and Crystal Ocean (2018).

Irish-trained runners to enjoy success here include the brilliant mare Stanerra (1983), trained by Frank Dunne. Oscar Schindler won for Kevin Prendergast in 1996 while Aidan O’Brien won the Hardwicke for the first time in 2008 with Macarthur. He has since been successful with Await The Dawn (2011) and Idaho (2017).

The leading jockeys in the history of the Hardwicke Stakes are Lester Piggott and Pat Eddery with seven winners apiece. Piggott’s first winner was Elopement in 1955 while his last was thirty years’ later aboard Jupiter Island. Ryan Moore won the race for three successive seasons from 2010 to 2012 and added a fourth in 2014 on Telescope. He took his tally to five when riding Crystal Ocean in 2018.

Betting on the Hardwicke Stakes

The Hardwicke Stakes often provides an excellent guide to the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes as well as other top middle-distance races. The record of Sir Michael Stoute speaks for itself and anything he saddles here is clearly worth a second look. Always a top quality contest and one of the highlights of Royal Ascot.