Hardwicke Stakes Tips 2026: Back Willie Mullins' Diamond To Shine

A brilliant renewal of the Hardwicke Stakes is set to grace Royal Ascot early in its final afternoon, with Kalpana heading a field packed with stars. A chance can be given to many in here, but Billy Grimshaw is siding with a globetrotter for a trainer no stranger to glory at this meeting, but more synonymous with the jumps equivalent Cheltenham...

We have seen some average renewals of this race over the years, but this looks a real humdinger and I would not be surprised to see almost any of them come home in front. A race to savour and bet small stakes, then, and as such I will be taking on the wonderfully consistent Kalpana at around 9/4 purely on price grounds. She clearly needed her reappearance run at Newbury last time out but battled hard to hold on and win, exemplifying the toughness her fans have grown to love.

She has a brilliant record at Ascot, winning over course and distance on Champions Day to wrap up last season in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes Group 1 on ground a touch slower than what she will race on here. There is very little not to like about her other than the price given the depth of challengers in this race, and if you are a big fan I don't want anything in this preview to put you off her. She has a favourite's chance, but there are plenty with glittering CVs in behind her who could be ideally suited to this contest.

Lambourn is better than he showed in the mud at Epsom last time out, for all he is bound to be one of the more forgettable dual Derby winners in the fullness of time. He never looked like challenging on soft at Epsom after being asked to lead for stablemate Jan Breughel's benefit, but will probably employ similar tactics here from box one and attempt to force a pace that could drag some into deep water. Kalpana is in the stall next to him and will have to be ready to track any unorthodox moves Wayne Lordan makes.

Jan Breughel also needs a line putting through his Epsom effort due to the going and one suspects Ryan Moore will sit quietly in rear on him for the majority of the race before attempting to thread the needle and storm home in front. He is a Leger winner with stamina assured and if they manage to make it all about stamina, he'll be one of the better suited runners.

Despite his name implying a big, hulking stayer, I'd not be itching to back Goliath if I knew this was going to be a proper end to end gallop. At his peak he was operating at a very high level, but he is not quite of that level anymore now a six year old. He won the King George here a few seasons back on quick ground over course and distance so shouldn't have any issue with the surface, however I was not enthused by his price as I worry he is ever so slightly on the downgrade.

Giavellotto is another veteran with a brilliant record in this sort of race around the world and is certainly not one to rule out. I'd expect both he and Goliath to be stalking in the same way Jan Breughel will and providing Giavellotto's beating at the hands of the mighty Calandagan out in Meydan has not left too much of a mark, he could be in the shakeup as well. Clearly, this is a race packed with superstars and as I mentioned earlier, I'd not be keen to rule anything out. With that being said, at a point bigger I'd rather be with Breeders' Cup winner ETHICAL DIAMOND for Willie Mullins each-way given the potential for a stamina sapping affair.

He was an improbable winner Stateside, but the then five year old showed a remarkable turn of foot to fly past Rebels Romance and Minnie Hauk - horses that'd surely be vying for favouritism in here - and in the end won a shade snugly. That is arguably the strongest piece of form on offer by anything in this race, yet he is widely available to back at 10/1. The fact he was such a big price for that outing and he has disappointed since is probably factored into that, however I would be willing to put a line through his run at Meydan as he never looked to be enjoying the track. He'll love the rattling fast ground here and the honest pace to aim at and with Dylan Browne McMonagle already among the winners this week, I'd not be surprised to see him attempt to repeat the feat from Del Mar and fly down the outside in the dying strides. He certainly has the pace to do so.