3.05pm Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2)

Globetrotter Giavellotto (9/1) and champion jockey Oisin Murphy teamed up for another significant victory in a blockbuster edition of the G2 Hardwicke Stakes.

Described by Andrew Balding beforehand as ‘a Group Two in name only’, the 12-furlong contest was run at an honest gallop, which brought the closers into play in the straight.

The 9/4 favourite Kalpana was the first to commit at the two-furlong pole, but Murphy had shadowed her every move and French raider Goliath loomed on the outside.

The trio settled down to fight it out and it was Giavellotto who saw it out best to score by a short-head from Kalpana, with Goliath’s challenge hampered by Christophe Soumillon losing his irons.

Winner of the Hong Kong Vase in 2024 for Marco Botti, Giavellotto lined up after two strong performances in the Middle East, including finishing third in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Botti said: “When Giavellotto got upsides, I thought we are not going to win because the filly [Kalpana] just keeps finding, but he is an incredible horse. He has taken us around the world, and then to win at Royal Ascot – you cannot ask any more than that. He is an unbelievable horse.

“The quality of the Hardwicke Stakes is such that we knew it was going to be Group One level, but he has never let us down. He was a bit warm beforehand, but that is just him. He winds himself up a little bit beforehand but in the race he is always given his best. He is tough.

“I do not think we will be back for the King George because later in the season we want to go back to Hong Kong. We have not actually entered him, because we want to keep him fresh. He likes travelling, and that I think will be the priority.

“He has not run a bad race, even in defeat. He was fourth in the Arc, second in Hong Kong, while in Qatar he was probably a bit unlucky and then he was a respectable third in the Dubai Sheema Classic. I said to the owner let us try Royal Ascot, and of course every owner wants to have a horse here. It worked out well and I am delighted.

“Oisin is a brilliant jockey. He had a plan in mind. He said I am going to follow Kalpana as she will take me to the furlong mark. He rode the race he had already planned. He is a brilliant jockey and Giavellotto is just a brilliant horse.”

Murphy said: “I could not believe Giavellotto was so big in the betting. He is brilliant fresh, he is a Group One winner in Hong Kong already, and it is great that he has won the Hardwicke.

“This is my first winner of the week and, when I spoke to His Majesty The King before the first race, he said ‘you have not been on the scoresheet this week but keep going,’ so I am glad it finally happened.

“I have tried not to pity myself all week; this is just horses running around a field, obviously on a big occasion, but there are far greater things happening in the world. Try and keep a sense of perspective.

“I did think Giavellotto would get there. We went even enough, and the last half-furlong here is the slowest, so I felt that if I left my stick down until late, we might win. He is a very honest horse and loves fast ground. That is his set-up – a mile and a half, fast ground and plenty of argy-bargy.”

Andrew Balding said of Kalpana: “The winner is a very good horse, while we are probably slightly better on soft ground, whereas he is very good on this ground. But I am very proud of the way she ran, and delighted for Marco and his team, because it was a hell of a horse race.”

Goliath’s trainer Francis-Henri Graffard said: “I think with the draw we had [10], we were really far behind, and I did not think my horse would have had the energy to go and get to him. I am so pleased because I think the good Goliath is really back. We love to see him coming on the bridle like that. I think, because of what happened to Christophe, he did not have a really hard race, so it will be better for the next race. It is hard to win at Ascot. You need a lot of luck, and this week we did not have the luck with us, but it is still a very good performance from him.”

His jockey Christophe Soumillon added: “I was trying to come beside Oisin easily because Goliath likes to feel that he is comfortable. When I tried to put my feet backwards to squeeze him with my heels, my stirrup just got blocked with my girth, my feet went backwards and I lost my iron on the right side. It is nobody’s fault. I could not imagine it was going to happen at that point of the race. I was not moving on him. I thought it would be hard to win the race because I could not get a head in front of Oisin, but I was fighting with them.

“He gave me everything today, but I was one or two positions too far back because of my draw. If I was drawn four or five, I think I would have ridden him more positively, but he needs cover and to come between horses on the bridle, like he does all the time. We always know he hangs right in the last 200 yards and he did a little bit.”

3.05pm Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2)

1 Giavellotto (Scuderia La Tesa Limited & Vaibhav Shah) Marco Botti 7-9-03 Oisin Murphy 9/1

2 Kalpana (Juddmonte) Andrew Balding 5-9-00 Colin Keane 9/4F

3 Goliath (Resolute Bloodstock & Philip Baron von Ullmann) Francis-Henri Graffard 5-9-00 Christophe Soumillon 7/2

12 ran