Group Two Hungerford Stakes Guide 2021

The worthy favourite for the Group Two event is the Charlie Appleby trained Al Suhail who threatened to be a very special horse for Godolphin, but although showing plenty of ability has never reached the heights they thought he would as of yet.

Having finished second on his final start as a juvenile in the Group Three Autumn Stakes, on his first start as a three year old he was thrown into the Group One 2000 Guineas, where he massively underperformed.

He was only seen once more as a three year old bouncing back to form in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket, when taking the event by six lengths.

Saved for a campaign in Meydan earlier this year, he finished third in March on his first start as a four year old after a break in Group One company.

Pitched back into a similar sphere next time out he put in his annual poor performance, but last time got back to somewhere near his best in the Group Two Summer Mile at Ascot when a close third behind Tilsit and Century Dream.

He is a horse that could still turn into the superstar he threatened to become and has been well backed for this event.

The four year old has always been a bright gelding winning three of her 10 events, including placing in another six events, only being out the frame once.

This season he has been seen three times, all in big fields, making his seasonal debut at Doncaster in the Lincoln Handicap when a close up fourth of 18 runners.

He then headed to Newbury for the Spring Cup Handicap over mile off a mark of 98 and was a close second behind the Richard Hannon trained Nugget.

Danyah was last seen over course and distance off a mark of 101 in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and again he was a narrow second to the progressive Highfield Princess, who has since won in Listed company.

The gelding last time out went up another 5lb but holding some serious form, went on to finally get his head in front and take the International Stakes.

He now steps up into Group Two company where he will need to improve having been a handicapper for the season, but he has been massively progressive this term.

Interesting.

Motakhayel has been a very smart horses over the last few years for Richard Hannon landing back to back Bunbury Cups and performing well in very valuable handicaps.

He now makes the move into Group Two company, where he certainly deserves his chance, but this field is very different to that of a handicap and he will need to improve.

Having needed his debut this season not handling the soft ground at Ascot, he has then been seen, finishing second in the Group Three Criterion Stakes at Newmarket and then landing the Bunbury Cup for the second season running.

Last time out at Ascot the weight was too much for him in the International Stakes, giving too many smart types big weight.

Now in this company he could be interesting, but he looks as though he needs the ground as quick as possible.

The four year old filly has been highly consistent during her short career, racing six times last season and managing to win two smart events whilst placing in another two.

Having placed in a good race on her second start at Doncaster over a mile, she then got off the mark at Redcar in emphatic style, winning the race by close to eight lengths.

She dropped down in trip next time out at Kempton and was a fair third but needed to go back up to the mile and she did that at Ascot when winning the second race of her career.

The daughter of Lope De Vega returned for her seasonal debut in April and finished a good fourth in a valuable handicap at Haydock over seven furlongs and backed that up next time out when a narrow second to favourite Lights On over course and distance.

She then went back to Ascot for the Kensington Palace Stakes at the royal meeting and surprisingly flopped, but bounced back in a big way last time out when landing the Group Three Valiant stakes back at the Berkshire track.

This is much harder but if improving one more has place claims.

Her two-year-old season was spent running over 5f and 6f trips to decent reward, placing in the Group Two Queen Mary at Ascot (5f), Lowther Stakes at York (6f) and the Flying Childers (5f) at Doncaster, proving her natural speed. 

Despite these positive runs, she is bred for further and is related to winning milers, proven when upped to 7f on her comeback run this season in the Nell Gwyn when landing the contest.

She won readily, despite having dwelt the start, not having a clear run 2f out and idling when hitting the front. 

The filly was expected to improve for that run when stepped up to Group One company in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, but unfortunately she could only finish a weak seventh.

Having not been seen since May she should be fresh for this event and getting the weight allowance from the boys could be a big factor.

The Roger Varian trained Laneqash is the surprise package in the field and could have a huge chance if retaining the form of his juvenile career.

The son of Cable Bay was a £175,000 purchase as a yearling and last year was seen three times, winning smartly on debut at Ascot by three lengths and then backing that up in the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes at Doncaster when a head second to New Mandate.

He was last seen on heavy ground at Newbury in October in a Group Three event, where the conditions ruined any chance he has, so the less rain the better for him.

The now three year old has not been seen since then, but holds plenty of ability and potential for what he could be this season and at the prices could be worth taking a chance on if not needing the run.

Varian in flying form a bonus.

The three year old was busy as a juvenile and garnered plenty of experience in his juvenile season managing to notch three wins, having come from handicaps to win a Class 2 Conditions race at Doncaster.

Moved up into group company for his last run of the season he struggled against better quality opponents and came home last of eight.

A Listed win at Salisbury on return over 6 furlongs was by far a career best as he easily brushed aside Khaadem for Charles Hills.

Last time out he was stepped up into the Group One July Cup Stakes where he massively outclassed and although this drop in grade and longer trip will help on Saturday, he looks opposable.

The son of Dubawi went to Newbury in September and finished a good third over seven furlongs behind stablemate Glorious Journey and Final Song.

He then backed that up in October at Kempton in a Conditions Stakes when finishing second behind Harry's Bar before being put away for a stint in Meydan.

D'Bai made his first appearance in the UAE in January when a bright second in a 7f Group Two behind a nice type for Saeed bin Suroor.

He then used that run to get off the mark for the year when taking a Group Two over a mile and although being off the tracks for six months, he holds plenty of ability.

If fully tuned up for the event he looks big value.

A Group Two winning juvenile for Andrew Balding in the colours of the Queen, Tactical made the perfect start to life as a three year old when winning a Listed Handicap at Newmarket in April.

His relentless late effort saw him get there just in time over seven furlongs so it looked a strange move when connections dropped him to 6 furlongs at Newbury afterwards.

The move didn’t pay off with him being beaten by Creative Force easily.

Stepping back up in trip to seven furlongs last month at Ascot, he was easily seen off by Creative Force again finishing seventh in the Group Three Jersey Stakes.

Looking to bounce back to form he was stepped up to a mile at Glorious Goodwood in the Group Three Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes where he could only beat two home.

Needs more stepping up in class again.

One of the big outsiders of the field is the Clive Cox trained Nando Parrado who has yet to find the form of his juvenile career.

The juvenile made a huge name for himself last term when he pulled off one of the biggest shocks in Royal Ascot history when landing the Group Two Coventry Stakes at the biggest odds ever seen by a winner at the five day festival.

The son of Kodiac proved that his Ascot run was not a fluke when a good second behind Queen Mary Stakes winner Campanelle in the Prix Morny in testing conditions.

He went back to France for the Prix Jean-Luc Lagadere over seven furlongs and getting similar testing conditions he was expected to run a big race but was very underwhelming.

This season he has been seen three times and has been below par on every start, finishing a fourth on seasonal debut in the Group Three Greenham Stakes and then could only finish the same position in the Listed Heron Stakes.

Looking to get back to his best he was sent into the Group Three Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, but it saw him go even further backwards when last of 18 runners.

Needs a revival in this field.

The final runner of the race is the Jessica Harrington trained Njord who has been a fairly consistent performer for the handler in similar events and could be a big each way play in the race.

In October last year the gelding put up a career best effort to land the Balmoral Handicap on soft ground at Ascot off a mark of 102.

This season having needed his debut, he then ran well in Listed company at Naas over 7f and then went to Haydock and finished a good second behind Kinross in the Group Three John Of Gaunt Stakes.

Kinross has franked the form of that race since in the Group Two Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

Njord also ran well next time out when a close second behind Order Of Australia in the Group Two Minstrel Stakes at The Curragh.

Last time out he was below par at Galway in a valuable handicap, but now back in this sphere he can't be overlooked, especially if getting his preferred soft ground.