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HARDWICKE LOOKS THE RACE OF THE WEEK

The final day of Royal Ascot sees the appearance of a horse that I have been looking forward to all week in the shape of FREE WIND in the Hardwicke Stakes (16:20).

She produced one of the most remarkable performances of last season when recovering from being badly hampered and nearly coming down to win the Lancashire Oaks at Haydock and looked to be a really exciting prospect for an end-of-season Group 1. A setback meant it never materialised, and so it was something of a relief to see her return with a win at York last month where she had to improve into the teeth of the pace in a steadily run race.

Rogue Millennium has already given the form a boost this week and hopefully she can lower the colours of two genuine Group 1 performers in Hukum and Pyledriver. Hukum took the scalp of Derby winner Desert Charm at Sandown but I thought he actually may have been helped by having to wait for a run at the time the pace was lifting. As a result, he had more energy to expend when others were beginning to pay for those exertions. Pyledriver has not been seen since winning the 2022 King George, having been beaten by Hukum when trying to retain his Coronation Cup crown at Epsom.

It is, for me, the race of the week and hopefully Free Wind will give Frankie Dettori a farewell winner on his final day riding at the Royal meeting.

QUEEN ELIZABETH II JUBILEE STAKES

The feature race (15:40) is over 6f which, once again, brings together sprinters from around the globe.

Aussie fancy Artorius has looked a bit more versatile in terms of running style but did get a long way back in both this contest and the July Cup in his appearances here last season before finishing well.

Personal preference is for WELLINGTON who has been banging his head against the Lucky Swaynesse wall in Hong Kong. With trainer Richard Gibson about to return to Europe, it would be an ideal time to advertise his credentials once again on the world stage.

He can beat Highfield Princess, who has slightly muddied the waters by backing up from her second in Tuesday’s King Stand but could give him an ideal tow into the race from the next-door stall.

OLD FRIEND GETS NOD IN THE WOKINGHAM

I can't let a very old friend in SUMMERGHAND  go unbacked in the Wokingham (17:00). He has always relished these big-field handicaps where he can be switched off at the back before charging late.

His narrow failure to catch Hey Jonesy in this race in 2020 is still very raw and his record in the race reads two fifths along with that second. He is getting on a bit now, but there was enough last time at York – where he got stopped as he was beginning to run on – to suggest there is enough life in the old legs to warrant each-way support.

PEARLS AND RUBIES THE PERFECT MIX FOR CHESHAM

Breeding is an important factor during the week and, never more so than in the Chesham (14:30), a race for two-year-olds whose sire or dam must have won a race over at least a mile and a quarter. This very much plays into the hands of Coolmore and Aidan O’Brien with all their strong middle-distance filly bloodlines.

They can make it five winners in the last eight renewals courtesy of PEARLS AND RUBIES , whose mum was a Group 1 winner at 10f in the Irish Pretty Polly with sire No Nay Never hopefully injecting sufficient speed to provide the perfect blend.

QUEEN ALEXANDRA SHOULD BE A THRILLING FINISH

The jockey bookings for the closing Queen Alexandra (18:10) are fascinating. It had been well-touted that this could be Frankie’s farewell winner aboard hat-trick-seeking Stratum, but when declarations came out it was William Buick’s name against the horse, renewing the association from 12 months ago.

It was Ryan Moore in the saddle in 2021 and yet he partners DAWN RISING for Joseph O’Brien and JP McManus. Ryan knows the horse from when he was trained by Aidan, and the potential closing betting ring clashes between high-profile owners Tony Bloom and JP – with a bit of Charles Byrnes thrown in – could make it one of the liveliest getting out stakes of all time.

After such a busy start to this blogging business, next week allows a little more time to introduce our stable tracker based on horses I have come across in recent weeks who will be flagged up when they run to provide some interest on a more regular basis.

SATURDAY SELECTIONS:

PEARLS AND RUBIES (14:30, ROYAL ASCOT)

WELLINGTON (15:40, Royal Ascot)

FREE WIND (16:20, Royal Ascot)

SUMMERGHAND (17:00, Royal Ascot)

DAWN RISING (18:10, Royal Ascot)