Hampton Court Stakes Group 3 | Class 1 | 3YO only Winner £85,065 - 24 entered to run Last year’s race Winner: Waipiro Jockey: Tom Marquand Trainer: Ed Walker Owner: Mr P K Siu Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Starting Price: 7/1 Season Form Figures: 126 Previous Best: 2nd - Lingfield Derby Trial Stakes (Listed), Lingfield (May 2023) By Paul Jones Previously run over 1m4f and also known as the Tercentenary Stakes for a few years, the Hampton Court was upgraded from Listed to Group 3 status 12 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 have run have failed to land a blow. The standout recent trend is that four of the last six winners contested a Classic, especially when considering how heavily outnumbered such contenders have been. Hunting Horn previously finished sixth in the French Derby, Benbatl ran fifth in the Derby, Claymore was last from the coffin-box draw in the French 2000 Guineas before failing to read the script when turning over The Queen’s 2/5 favourite Reach For The Moon - at around the time as her 70th anniversary on the throne - and then Waipiro won here after finishing sixth in last year’s Derby. The 2011 winner Pisco Sour also contested the Derby prior to his success. The 2020 Covid-season running took place before the Derby and the 2021 winner Mohaafeth was withdrawn from the Derby on the day after heavy rain - a move that paid off for connections after the Shadwell runner won over this more suitable 1m2f on fast ground instead to give William Haggas a second Hampton Court success. Of the 23 penalised horses to have run since 2000 only Afsare has been successful, with just two others making 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, with 18 of the last 20 winners 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 representing the top stables, of the 24 winners this century 12 had previously been contesting, and getting beaten in, Group races (five of which in the Dante), while five others contested a handicap on their last start (two of the last nine winners won the London Gold Cup at Newbury, while last season’s runner-up was third in that Newbury handicap) and another three ran in a maiden last time out. Hawkbill led home a Godolphin 1-2 eight years ago before their Benbatl took the spoils in 2017. Aidan O’Brien has gone two better by winning it on four occasions, one ahead of Sir Michael Stoute. At a glance summary Positives Contested a Classic Likely to start in the first four in the betting Owned by Godolphin Trained by Aidan O’Brien or Sir Michael Stoute Ran well in the London Gold Cup Ran in the Dante Stakes Negatives Carrying a penalty Finished unplaced last time out (unless in a Group 1) Fillies