Stats Guide: Wolferton Stakes

Last year's race

Winner: Dubai Future

Jockey: Daniel Tudhope

Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor

Owner: Godolphin

Age: 6

Weight: 9st 8lbs

Starting Price: 20/1

Season Form Figures: 14504

Previous Best: 1st - Dubai Racing Club Classic (Listed), Meydan (January 2022)

By Paul Jones

This is the sixth year of the Wolferton being a Listed race (rather than a Listed handicap) over 1m2f on the round course.

It usually features a double-figure field where they meet a bend after a furlong, so the draw can be important. What is a low draw since the switch of stall numbers 11 seasons ago has been an advantage as 13 of the last 18 winners at Ascot were drawn in what are now single-figure stalls.

Dubai Future overcame stall 11 last year (though those drawn in the lowest five stalls finished second, third, fourth and fifth) and horses drawn 2-5 filled the first four places in 2021. Addeybb also managed to overcome his wide draw four years ago but he did go on to win two Group 1s in Australia and the Champion Stakes. A high draw is also easier to overcome on soft ground which was the case in his year.

Four-year-olds have filled 21 of the 31 positions in the last ten years which has contributed to 16 wins in the last 22 years. This becomes more significant when we consider that four-year-olds and horses aged five and upwards have more or less been responsible for a similar number of runners within that time.

There have been 20 runnings since this race became part of Royal Ascot and punters have sent a Sir Michael Stoute-trained contender off as the beaten favourite on as many as eight occasions and Saeed bin Suroor on another three. Stoute did win with the fancied Perfect Stride 13 years ago and the unfancied Imperial Stride six years earlier though, and Bin Suroor was responsible for last season’s surprise 20/1 winner.

Three of the six winners since the Wolferton became a Listed race were sent off at 14/1+ with the favourite finding one too good for the last four runnings.

On a more positive note, John Gosden won three Wolferton’s when it was run as a handicap and then also the first when it became a non-handicap with Monarch’s Glen. Charlie Johnston and Ed Dunlop's runners are also worth a second look. Mark Johnston supplied the runner-up and third in 2015 in addition to a winner and third in 2006 whilst Dunlop was successful in 2014 and in 1997 plus two of his five other runners have also hit the frame.

At a glance summary

Positives:
Four-year-olds
A single-figure draw
Respect John & Thady Gosden, Charlie Johnston and Ed Dunlop

Negatives:
Unplaced last time out
A Sir Michael Stoute or Saeed bin Suroor-trained favourite