Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2) – Ascot

Ascot

15:05

Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2)

Date 2025-06-21

Distance 1m3f211y

Class Class 1

Going Good To Firm

Type Flat

Surface Turf

Age Band 4yo+

Prize £141,775

Runners (12)

EW Terms: 3 places, ¼ odds (standard bookmaker terms — may vary)

#	Horse	Jockey / Trainer	Wt	Gear	Form	OR	RPR	TS	Last	Crs	Dst	Val	Scr	EW	Odds
9 (11)	Rebel's Romance Brown J:William Buick T:Charlie Appleby	J:William Buick T:Charlie Appleby	129	—	11-141	123	134	103	36d	—	—	-5	28.9	0.41/1	13/8 38%
Four 1m4f Group/Grade 1 wins last year; landed Yorkshire Cup latest; he's the one to beat
2 (7)	Al Riffa Bay J:Dylan Browne McMonagle T:Joseph Patrick O'Brien	J:Dylan Browne McMonagle T:Joseph Patrick O'Brien	129	b	210-34	117	132	102	55d	—	—	+8	20.4	1.50/1	6/1 14%
Second in the Eclipse last July; leading claims if surging back to best now in blinkers
7 (2)	Ghostwriter Bay J:David Egan T:Clive Cox	J:David Egan T:Clive Cox	129	—	335-46	118	131	114	27d	—	—	+8	20.6	1.50/1	6/1 14%
Group 1 campaigner at around 1m2f; into the unknown at 1m4f but drops back in grade
11 (5)	Sunway Bay J:Oisin Murphy T:David Menuisier	J:Oisin Murphy T:David Menuisier	129	tb	430-35	112	129	90	35d	—	—	+9	17.9	2.50/1	10/1 9%
Placed in the Irish Derby and St Leger last season, and excuses on both runs this season
1 (10)	Al Aasy Bay J:Jim Crowley T:William Haggas	J:Jim Crowley T:William Haggas	129	—	123-14	115	129	85	35d	—	—	+11	18.4	2.75/1	11/1 8%
7-time Group 3 winner, latest in April; the race didn't go his way at Newbury last time
8 (6)	Palladium Bay J:Ryan Moore T:John & Thady Gosden	J:Ryan Moore T:John & Thady Gosden	129	—	1416-3	111	126	90	13d	—	—	+13	20.2	3.00/1	12/1 8%
Won last year's German Derby; close Listed 3rd on yard debut; others have stronger claims
10 (1)	Space Legend Bay J:James Doyle T:William Haggas	J:James Doyle T:William Haggas	129	p	2244-5	111	123	108	43d	—	—	+12	16.3	5.50/1	22/1 4%
Ran well in defeat in Group 2s last season; remains lightly raced but needs improvement
5 (4)	Candleford Bay J:Tom Marquand T:William Haggas	J:Tom Marquand T:William Haggas	129	—	25/14-	110	125	107	364d	—	—	+12	16.2	5.50/1	22/1 4%
C&D winner who goes well fresh but is likely to come up short in this race once more
12 (12)	Tabletalk Bay J:Rossa Ryan T:Tom Clover	J:Rossa Ryan T:Tom Clover	129	—	315-22	110	123	94	35d	—	—	+12	16	6.25/1	25/1 4%
Runner-up in Group 3 races at Newbury the last twice but down the pecking order on ratings
3 (9)	Bellum Justum Bay J:P J McDonald T:Andrew Balding	J:P J McDonald T:Andrew Balding	129	p	21-516	112	126	82	15d	—	—	+13	16.5	6.25/1	25/1 4%
Group 2 win last month and good to soft ground was an excuse at Epsom since; not ruled out
6 (3)	Epic Poet Bay J:Daniel Tudhope T:David O'Meara	J:Daniel Tudhope T:David O'Meara	129	—	-13232	111	123	78	36d	—	—	+25	28.6	6.25/1	25/1 4%
Pushed Rebel's Romance close in 1m6f Group 2 Yorkshire Cup; could go well once more
4 (8)	Burdett Road Bay J:Sean D Bowen T:James Owen	J:Sean D Bowen T:James Owen	129	—	0416-4	110	124	117	23d	—	—	+13	15.8	8.25/1	33/1 3%
Listed winner last September; Champion Hurdle runner-up in March; Flat career best needed

Horse	bet365	William Hill	Boyle Sports	Ladbrokes	Unibet
Rebel's Romance	11/8	13/8	6/4	6/4	13/8
Al Riffa	11/2	11/2	11/2	6/1	6/1
Ghostwriter	11/2	11/2	11/2	6/1	6/1
Sunway	10/1	17/2	10/1	10/1	9/1
Al Aasy	10/1	10/1	10/1	11/1	10/1
Palladium	12/1	11/1	12/1	10/1	11/1
Space Legend	22/1	20/1	22/1	22/1	20/1
Candleford	22/1	22/1	22/1	22/1	20/1
Tabletalk	25/1	25/1	25/1	25/1	25/1
Bellum Justum	25/1	25/1	25/1	25/1	25/1
Epic Poet	25/1	22/1	22/1	22/1	25/1
Burdett Road	28/1	28/1	28/1	33/1	28/1

Predictor

Scored on Official Rating (max 30), Recent Form (max 25), and Market Odds (max 20). Max score: 75.

1st

Rebel's Romance

28.9

OR: 18.3 Form: 0 Odds: 10.6

13/8

2nd

Epic Poet

28.6

OR: 15.3 Form: 12.5 Odds: 0.9

25/1

3rd

Ghostwriter

20.6

OR: 17 Form: 0 Odds: 3.6

6/1

Al Riffa

20.4

OR: 16.8 Form: 0 Odds: 3.6

6/1

Palladium

20.2

OR: 15.3 Form: 3 Odds: 1.9

12/1

Al Aasy

18.4

OR: 16.3 Form: 0 Odds: 2.1

11/1

Sunway

17.9

OR: 15.5 Form: 0 Odds: 2.4

10/1

Bellum Justum

16.5

OR: 15.5 Form: 0 Odds: 1

25/1

Space Legend

16.3

OR: 15.3 Form: 0 Odds: 1.1

22/1

Candleford

16.2

OR: 15 Form: 0 Odds: 1.2

22/1

Tabletalk

OR: 15 Form: 0 Odds: 1

25/1

Burdett Road

15.8

OR: 15 Form: 0 Odds: 0.8

33/1

Ratings

Horse	OR	RPR	TS
Rebel's Romance	123	134	103
Ghostwriter	118	131	114
Al Riffa	117	132	102
Al Aasy	115	129	85
Sunway	112	129	90
Bellum Justum	112	126	82
Palladium	111	126	90
Space Legend	111	123	108
Epic Poet	111	123	78
Candleford	110	125	107
Tabletalk	110	123	94
Burdett Road	110	124	117

Last Run

Horse	Last Run	Status
Palladium	13d ago	Quick return
Bellum Justum	15d ago	Fit
Burdett Road	23d ago	Fit
Ghostwriter	27d ago	Fit
Sunway	35d ago	Fit
Al Aasy	35d ago	Fit
Tabletalk	35d ago	Fit
Rebel's Romance	36d ago	Fit
Epic Poet	36d ago	Fit
Space Legend	43d ago	Fit
Al Riffa	55d ago	Fresh
Candleford	364d ago	Long break