Benoit Photo
Missed the Cut, trained by John Sadler, has been pointed to the Hardwicke Stakes since he won the San Marcos (above) in March. The firm ground at Ascot helps his chances.
There will not be a strong favorite among the 14 runners in Saturday’s Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, the final top-level race of the famous five-day racing festival in England.
Instead, the $1.26 million Jubilee Stakes is a fantastic betting race, with several runners capable of capturing the richest sprint prize of the week on a straightaway course.
The six-furlong Jubilee Stakes is part of a program that includes the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at 1 1/2 miles, which features the 2024 debut of Continuous, winner of the Group 1 English St. Leger last September, and the American shipper Missed the Cut, a two-time graded stakes winner at Santa Anita earlier this year.
As of Thursday, Mill Stream was the 9-2 favorite with British bookmakers in early betting for the Jubilee, a slight choice over Kinross at 11-2, and Mitbaahy and Shartash, both at 13-2.
All have finished first or second in sprint stakes in their last starts.
Shartash is unbeaten in two races this year, including the minor Spring Trophy Stakes at Haydock Park in England on May 11. Four days later, Mill Stream won the Group 2 Clipper Stakes on a straightaway six furlongs by a nose at York Racecourse, the most prestigious win in his 12-race career.
::Bet Royal Ascot with confidence: DRF PPs Available Now
Kinross has not raced since a second to Art Power in the Group 1 British Champions Stakes at Ascot last October. Seventh in the 2023 Jubilee Stakes, Kinross was third to Modern Games in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland. Now 7, the gelding raced only at sprint distances in six starts last year, winning two Group 2 races at seven furlongs in Britain.
Mitbaahy will draw support for his upset win at 9-1 in the Greenlands Stakes at six furlongs at The Curragh in Ireland on May 25, the sixth win of his 20-race career.
Art Power is part of the Jubilee field, but he has lost three starts this year in Saudi Arabia and Europe, including a one-length loss when fourth behind Mitbaahy in the Greenlands Stakes. He was 14-1 as of Thursday.
A win in the Hardwicke Stakes by Missed the Cut would be a surprise.
A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred horse by Quality Road, Missed the Cut was first mentioned as a potential Royal Ascot runner after a win in the Grade 3 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita in February. In two subsequent starts at 1 1/2 miles, Missed the Cut won the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes at Santa Anita in March and was second in the Grade 2 Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland in April.
Trained by John Sadler, Missed the Cut will be ridden by James Doyle for owners Bee Zee LLC, Lanes End Racing, St. Elias Stable, Edward Babington, and Edward and Lynne Hudson.
Missed the Cut has Royal Ascot experience, having won the Golden Gates Handicap for 3-year-olds in 2022 when trained by George Boughey. Missed the Cut joined Sadler’s stable in early 2023 and ran frequently on dirt last year, including a last-place finish of 12 in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita last November.
Missed the Cut has raced only on turf this year.
Sadler said last weekend that an Ascot turf course expected to be good-to-firm will help Missed the Cut’s chances.
“Some of the other Europeans, they want a deeper course,” Sadler said.
“I think the mile and a half is good. We have a natural stayer.”
The Hardwicke is the first start for Continuous since a fifth-place finish by 3 1/2 lengths to 2023 European Horse of the Year Ace Impact in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in Paris last October.
::Subscribe to the DRF Post Time Email Newsletter: Get the news you need to play today's races!
Continuous, trained by Aidan O’Brien, will be a solid favorite in the Hardwicke over Middle Earth, who was seventh in the St. Leger Stakes last September and is unbeaten in two subsequent stakes starts.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden, Middle Earth won his lone start this year in the Group 3 Aston Park Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Newbury Racecourse in England on May 18.
The Royal Ascot program begins at 9:30 a.m. Eastern.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.
