3 minute read

The Roger Varian-trained Defoe justified 11/4 favouritism to capture the £225,000 G2 Hardwicke Stakes.

Ridden by Andrea Atzeni, the five-year-old defeated Czech raider Nagano Gold (25/1) by a half-length in the 12-furlong event.

Defoe  was successful in the Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs on May 31 and Newmarket trainer Varian believes the gelded son of Dalakhani has improved this season.

Varian, registering his second victory of the week [Daahyeh, G3 Albany Stakes] and fourth Royal Ascot victory overall, said: That was a good performance from Defoe, who has took his form forward from Epsom.

"It is always nice when they back up a victory like that in their next race. I thought it was a tough performance.

"Defoe is a lovely horse to train and I'm very grateful to have him. I'm pleased for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum to get a winner on the scoresheet as well as Andrea.

"He is such a straightforward horse who just tries for you and is getting better with age - he is a joy to train.

"Before Epsom, he had been placed at G1 level and had looked very good in G2s and G3s. I thought he was capable of mixing it with the best and the horse is warming up to the season very nicely.

"Hopefully, we can bring him back for the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes next month. That race has to be on the radar now. He'll have a break now and we will look forward to running there.

"I've got a high opinion of the horse and he is backing that up with his performances - we're looking forward to the rest of the season.

"Defoe always had a good attitude as a colt and it was the owner's decision to geld him. As a result, that will probably elongate his career.

"Before this year, he had showed a very good level of form and he has just improved a little bit.

Defoe is everybody's favourite horse [at home] - he is hard not to like and a gentleman of a horse, very straightforward.

Defoe is a 6/1 shot with Betfred for the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes back at Ascot on Saturday, July 27.

Andrea Atzeni was full of praise for Defoe. 
Atzeni, enjoying his fifth and most important Royal Ascot success, and his first of the week, said: "It's great to get one. It's a tough week obviously and very hard to ride winners. You come into the week thinking you have nice rides, but you need good horses like Defoe who can get you out of trouble and quicken. If anything I probably got to the front too soon, which isn't really his style. It's great for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, who is here today having been ill all week."

He added: "Defoe is very straightforward and he's actually a dream horse to ride. He's very cool beforehand, and he jumped and travelled well. We didn't go very quick, and then turning into the straight Masar came to me fairly easily, but to be fair to him he picked up nicely and fought all the way to the line. 

"He's a five-year-old now, but maybe the gelding operation improved him. He's always been very consistent, but he's obviously turned a corner this year. We were taking on a Derby winner, so we couldn't be sure, but Defoe has done nothing wrong this year and he was very impressive in the Coronation Cup.

"Ground wise he's very versatile. We actually thought he was a soft-ground horse but Sheikh Mohammed Obaid always said he was a fast-ground horse and he was right. It's not fast out there, but it's definitely on the quick side and he enjoyed it."