Hardwicke favourite Hukum a non-runner at Royal Ascot

Racing Post
 
Hardwicke favourite Hukum a non-runner at Royal Ascot

Your one-stop shop for Royal Ascot news on Saturday morning . . .

Market movers: Dettori backed to sign off in style

It is set to be an emotional day at Royal Ascot as Frankie Dettori takes his final rides at the meeting, and punters expect him to have a dream send off with his last mount being a major market mover on Saturday.

He will sign off at the royal meeting aboard Knockbrex in the Golden Gate Stakes (5.35), and his mount has been cut to 5-2 (from 7-2) with Paddy Power. 

Dettori takes the ride for Charlie Johnston and he partnered two Royal Ascot winners for the stable when the trainer's father Mark held the licence. Saturday's mount was an eyecatching fourth at York last time out.

Kinross, Dettori's ride in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, is also 4-1 (from 11-2) with Paddy Power to win another another top-level contest after an October double in the Prix de la Foret and Champions Sprint Stakes.

Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: "Unsurprisingly Frankie Dettori’s rides are proving popular on the final time that this amazing jockey will grace the royal meeting at the racecourse where he completed his greatest achievement, the magnificent seven. 

"Punters have got behind Kinross, who is owned by his great friend Marc Chan, and his last ever ride at the royal extravaganza Knockbrex.”

The Wokingham Stakes is the day's big betting heat and favourite Orazio has shortened at the head of the market into 9-2 (from 6). He is looking to become only the second winning favourite of the sprint in the last ten years.

Royal Ascot Saturday movers

2.30
La Guarida 11-2 (from 13-2)
Caroline Reaper 16-1 (from 25)

4.20
Kinross 4-1 (from 5)

5.00
Orazio 9-2 (from 6)
Mums Tipple 10-1 (from 14)
Saint Lawrence 12-1 (from 20)

5.35
Knockbrex 9-4 (from 3)

6.10
Stratum 7-2 (from 9-4)

Updated at 12.30am

The big story: favourite Hukum misses Hardwicke

Hukum will not participate in Saturday's Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot after the favourite was taken out due to the going.

Conditions remain good to firm for the final day of the meeting and trainer Owen Burrows has decided against running, having said he was a "doubtful" runner on Friday.

The six-year-old was 9-4 having lowered the colours of 2022 Derby hero Desert Crown in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown on his only start of the season. 

Yet he has only raced once on ground with firm in the going description, finishing third in a Newbury novice on debut and registering his lowest Racing Post Rating in 16 starts.

Free Wind is now 11-10 for the Hardwicke for John and Thady Gosden and Frankie Dettori.

Posted at 7.45am

Going update: conditions similar with hot day expected 

Temperatures could hit 29C on a scorching Saturday at Royal Ascot with the final day of the meeting set to be run on similar conditions to the previous few days.

The track was watered after racing on Friday, with 5mm put on the straight course and 4mm on the round track to maintain the good to firm going description.

The GoingStick readings are also similar and suggest minimal track bias on the straight course. A reading of 7.9 was taken on the stands' side and centre, while the far side is fractionally slower.

Clerk of the course Chris Stickles said on Saturday morning: "It's still good to firm and conditions are very similar to yesterday. We did a little bit of watering last night to put back the water lost through evapotranspiration.

"We're in for a warm, sunny day and temperatures could be up to 27, 28 or 29C or something like that."

Posted at 9am

Non-runners: day five absentees

2.30
5 Quatre Bras (bad scope)

4.20
5 Hukum (going)

5.35
7 Like A Tiger (going)
14 First Sight (ringworm)

6.10
6 Goshen (going)

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