Royal Ascot 2025: (Group 3) Hampton Court Stakes Stats Guide

Last year’s race
Winner: Jayarebe
Jockey: Sean M Levey
Trainer: Brian J Meehan
Owner: Mr Iraj Parvizi
Age: 3
Weight: 9st 2lbs
Starting Price: 7/1
Season Form Figures: 13
Previous Best: 1st - bet365 Feilden Stakes (Listed), Newmarket (April 2024)

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 13 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 in the race have failed to make a meaningful impression.

The standout most recent trend is that four of the last seven winners had previously contested a Classic, considering how heavily outnumbered such contenders have been. Hunting Horn previously finished sixth in the French Derby, Benbatl ran fifth in the Derby, Claymore finished last from the coffin-box draw in the French 2000 Guineas before failing to read the script by turning over The Queen’s 2/5 favourite Reach For The Moon at around the time of her 70th anniversary, and then Waipiro won here after grabbing sixth in the 2023 Derby. The 2011 winner Pisco Sour also contested the Derby before landing this.

The 2020 Covid running took place before the Derby, while the 2021 winner Mohaafeth was withdrawn from the Derby on the day after the rain fell in a move that certainly paid off for his connections, winning this contest over a more suitable 1m2f on fast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 so far been successful, with just two others even making the frame. Afsare justified 9/4 favouritism on that occasion, and this has historically been a race where market leaders have come to the fore, with 19 of the last 21 winners coming from the first four in the betting, including last year's winner Jayarebe (7/1 second-favourite). In fact, in 2020 the first four horses home occupied the first four places in the market, while 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 24 winners this century, 14 had previously contested Group races in defeat (five of which in the Dante), while five others ran in a handicap on their latest start (two of the last 10 winners won the London Gold Cup at Newbury, while the last two runners-up finished third and first in that particular Newbury handicap) and three more in a maiden contest.

Hawkbill led home a Godolphin 1-2 nine years ago before Benbatl landed the spoils for them in 2017. Aidan O’Brien has gone two better than that, winning it on four occasions to date.

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
Ran well in the London Gold Cup
Contested the Dante Stakes

Negatives
Carrying a penalty
Finished unplaced last time out (unless in a Group 1)
Fillies