Royal Ascot 2022: Hampton Court Stakes Stats Guide

Last year’s race

Winner: Mohaafeth

Jockey: Jim Crowley

Trainer: W J Haggas

Owner: Shadwell Estate Company Ltd

Age: 3 Weight: 9st 0lbs

Starting Price: 11/8

Season Form Figures: 111

Previous Best: 1st - Listed Newmarket Stakes, Newmarket (May 2021)

By Paul Jones

Two of the last four winners contested a Derby as Hunting Horn finished sixth in the Prix du Jockey-Club and Benbatl ran fifth in the Derby at Epsom. The 2011 winner, Pisco Sour, also contested the Derby. The 2020 running was run before the Derby. Last year’s winner, Mohaafeth, was withdrawn from the Derby on the day after the rain fell, a move that paid off for his connections, winning this contest over a more suitable 1m2f on fast ground instead and giving William Haggas a second Hampton Court success.

Previously run over 1m4f and also known as the Tercentenary Stakes for a few years, the Hampton Court was upgraded from Listed status to Group 3 ten years ago having been a 1m2f handicap since 2000 so only patterns from the turn of the century are of interest from which point all nine fillies to run have yet to get seriously competitive.

Of the 22 penalised horses to have run since 2000, only Afsare has won and just two others have made the frame. Afsare justified 9/4 favouritism on that occasion and this has been a race where the market leaders have come to the fore as 16 of the last 18 winners could be found in the first four in the betting. In fact, in 2020 the first four horses home occupied the first four places in the market and it was almost the same case in 2019 when the 1-2-3 were the three most fancied contenders.

A contest chock full of progressive horses mainly consisting from the top stables, of the 22 winners this century, ten had been contesting and getting beaten in Group races (five of which in the Dante), five others contested a handicap on their last start (two of the last seven winners won the London Gold Cup at Newbury) with another three running in a maiden last time out.

Hawkbill led home a Godolphin 1-2 six years ago and then their Benbatl took the spoils in 2017. Aidan O’Brien has gone two better winning it on four occasions, one ahead of Sir Michael Stoute.

At a glance summary

POSITIVES

Likely to start in the first four in the betting

Owned by Godolphin

Trained by Aidan O’Brien or Sir Michael Stoute

The London Gold Cup winner

Ran in the Dante Stakes

NEGATIVES

Carrying a penalty

Finished unplaced last time out (unless in a Group 1 race)

Fillies