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| Hardwicke Stakes 2012 |
Sea Moon Flies Home in Hardwicke
23/06/12
1 Sea Moon 3/1 Fav
2 Dunaden 9/2
3 Red Cadeaux 9/1
NR: Masked Marvel
12 ran Distances: 3¼l, ¾l, 3½l
TIME 2m 29.60s (fast by 0.40s)
Jockey Ryan Moore rode his fourth winner at Royal Ascot 2012 when Sea Moon pulled clear to win the Hardwicke Stakes.
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Moore, who wore the colours of Prince Khalid Abdulla - who also bred Sea Moon - moved ahead of William Buick in the QIPCO-sponsored Leading Jockeys’ Award at Royal Ascot by virtue of having ridden one more third place.
After weighing in on the Sir Michael Stoute-trained winner, Moore said: “He travelled really smoothly and picked up really well, so I had to be very pleased with him.
“The trainer’s been very patient with him, and to be fair all the horses from the yard have run well this week. This horse progressed all through last year and if he keeps going the same way he could have a very good season.”
A return to Ascot for next month’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored by Betfair) is on the cards for Sea Moon, but following today’s race he was given a quote of 12/1 from 25/1 for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe by Paddy Power.
“I was delighted with that performance,” said trainer Sir Michael Stoute. “I was disappointed at Goodwood, when he was finding it tight with two furlongs to run.
“Ryan said that he was never going to get beaten - I couldn’t quite agree with him - but he said that he wouldn’t ride him like that again. We thought that there would be no pace and we couldn’t let them canter round there. Ryan said that he doesn’t want to be in front.
Today was not a bad standard.
“It’s his best performance to date and a big improvement from his last run at Goodwood where it didn’t suit him to make the running. My plan would be to come back here for the King George,” said trainer Sir Michael Stoute, who saddled the Queen’s Estimate to win the Queen’s Vase on Friday.
“I was thrilled, as was the whole country, with Estimate,” added Stoute. “It was great to see her win in that fashion and she is a nice progessive filly that we can enjoy for a while.”
Lord Grimthorpe, racing manager to Sea Moon’s owner Khalid Abdulla, added: “Michael and the whole team have done a magnificent job. The horse had been a bit rusty but to bring him back and win like that was tremendous.”
Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2)
£200,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 4f, Class 1
12 runners (NR Masked Marvel)
Going: Good
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Position |
Horse Trainer |
Jockey Weight |
Starting Price Beaten Distance |
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1 |
Sea Moon Sir Michael Stoute |
R L Moore 9st 0lbs |
3 - 1 Winner |
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2 |
Dunaden M Delzangles |
C P Lemaire 9st 0lbs |
9 - 2 3 1/4 lengths |
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3 |
Red Cadeaux E A L Dunlop |
T G McLaughlin 9st 0lbs |
9 - 1 3/4 length |
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4 |
Aiken J H M Gosden |
William Buick 9st 0lbs |
4 - 1 3 1/2 lengths |
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5 |
Jakkalberry M Botti |
S De Sousa 9st 0lbs |
16 - 1 1 1/4 length |
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6 |
Fiorente Sir Michael Stoute |
J Doyle 9st 0lbs |
25 - 1 4 1/2 lengths |
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7 |
Hunter's Light S bin Suroor |
L Dettori 9st 0lbs |
22 - 1 4 1/2 lengths |
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8 |
Allied Powers M L W Bell |
T P Queally 9st 0lbs |
100 - 1 3 lengths |
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9 |
Calico Cat A J Lidderdale |
P Hanagan 9st 0lbs |
66 - 1 4 lengths |
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10 |
Quest For Peace L M Cumani |
K Fallon 9st 0lbs |
16 - 1 11 lengths |
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11 |
Testosterone E A L Dunlop |
J P Murtagh 8st 11lbs |
20 - 1 13 lengths |
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12 |
Memphis Tennessee A P O'Brien |
J P O'Brien 9st 0lbs |
11 - 2 26 lengths |
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NonRunner |
Masked Marvel J H M Gosden |
Non Runner 9st 0lbs |
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DUNADEN UNLUCKY IN HARDWICKE
Dunaden, who was victorious in last season’s Melbourne Cup and Hong Kong Vase, ran another gallant race behind Sea Moon in the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes.
The six-year-old, trained in France by Mikel Delzangles, was travelling well rounding the home bend, but then met trouble before staying on strongly to finish three and a quarter lengths behind the impressive winner.
Delzangles said: “Rounding the home bend Dunaden had to slow down because of the horse in front and couldn’t get out. He finished very well and stayed on very well, but couldn’t get out when he wanted.
“The King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a possibility.”
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Red Cadeaux, trained by Ed Dunlop, finished four lengths behind the winner in third, while John Gosden’s Aiken took fourth place.
Dunlop said: “It was a very good run from Red Cadeaux. We were beaten by the favourite and horse who has beaten us twice, so we have conceded defeat. Dunaden is better than us but we probably won’t run against him again.
“We will take Red Cadeaux home and give him one more run before Australia (Melbourne Cup).”
Gosden said: “I am very happy with Aiken. He got trapped wide, a little wider than we thought, and we had to kick for the first bend, but I was very pleased with him and he has done everything right.
“We’ll freshen him up and look at races such as the Grand Prix De Deauville.”
