Anthony Van Dyck's Fate Rests With Ground in Hardwicke

Anthony Van Dyck has raced exclusively in group 1s since winning the Investec Derby (G1) 12 months ago, and the June 19 Hardwicke Stakes (G2) will be the first time he has competed away from the top echelon since Epsom—if Aidan O'Brien allows him to take his chance.

The master of Ballydoyle has warned that rain-softened ground could see his 4-year-old bypass the 1 1/2-mile Royal Ascot test, in which he would be seeking his first victory in seven starts since striking in the Derby.

At the time, it looked like a substandard premier classic, with less than a length covering the first five home. The third, Japan, went on to land the Grand Prix de Paris (G1) and Juddmonte International Stakes (G1), and the sixth, Circus Maximus, has thrived since being dropped back in trip and clinched the third group 1 of his career with a trademark battling success in Tuesday's Queen Anne Stakes (G1).

The messy nature of the Derby finish suggests the best horse might not have won, but those with an emotional stake in the Derby's status will be hoping this drop in class will enable Anthony Van Dyck to return to the winner's enclosure. O'Brien's colt appeared to run his best race since Epsom when he chased home Ghaiyyath in the Coronation Cup (G1) at Newmarket two weeks ago.

"We were delighted with his run at Newmarket in the Coronation Cup," O'Brien said. "The ground would be a worry with him, and if it's soft, I wouldn't be sure we'd run him. We'll see what way that goes. We ran him on bad ground in the King George (VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO, G1) at Ascot last year and felt after that we shouldn't have done it, so if it's soft, he might not run."

It was always going to take a high-class and strong-running performance to peg back Ghaiyyath after that rival got rolling with an uncontested lead. And while he never looked like pulling off that feat, Anthony Van Dyck did stay on best in the final furlong to finish a clear second ahead of star stayer Stradivarius.

There is no doubt Anthony Van Dyck should be the Hardwicke favorite, but he most certainly doesn't appeal as the type to be smashing into at 6-4, particularly with the ground likely to soften.

Last year's winner, Defoe, has been well beaten in two of his three starts since staying on strongly to deny Nagano Gold by a half-length on the royal heath. In fact, the aggregate distance beaten for those two starts is 50 lengths, so it's hard to recommend him with any degree of confidence. He finished nearly 14 lengths behind Anthony Van Dyck in the Coronation Cup last time out.

Form boosts don't come much better than Elarqam's Brigadier Gerard Stakes (G3) in which he finished second to Lord North 12 days ago, with that short-head defeat shown in an excellent light when John Gosden's new middle-distance star bolted up in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) Wednesday.

The Mark Johnston-trained 5-year-old is bred for Royal Ascot success, being a son of Frankel out of Attraction, who each recorded two wins at this meeting, but the step up to 1 1/2 miles is unknown territory for the classy operator.

He has scored on soft ground at York in the Sky Bet York Stakes (G2), reversing the form of his Wolferton Stakes defeat to Addeybb on testing ground at last year's royal meeting. 

"I was obviously very impressed with Lord North in the Prince of Wales's Stakes," said Angus Gold, the racing manager to Hamdan Al Maktoum's operation. "While we were disappointed on the day (at Haydock) and almost felt he should and could have won, in light of Wednesday's form it doesn't look so disappointing."

He added of Elarqam's credentials for stepping up in trip: "What worries me is the ground. When he ran on it last year at Ascot, I remember various people felt he didn't stay, but Jim (Crowley) was adamant he just didn't like the ground. I would be concerned about that, and it's obviously annoying to encounter this ground trying a mile and a half for the first time. Personally, I always felt he would stay it, but the ground could be a factor, although it will be the same for everyone."

Berkshire Rocco Heads Queen's Vase Field

Berkshire Rocco, who chased home impressive winner English King in the listed Derby Trial Stakes at Lingfield, looks a prime candidate for Thursday's Queen's Vase (G2) for 3-year-olds. English King is a 7-2 joint-favorite with Berkshire Rocco's stablemate Kameko for the July 4 Investec Derby (G1).

There were seven lengths back to the third, Summeronsevenhills, at Lingfield, and Berkshire Rocco looks all about stamina needed for the 1 3/4-mile test at Ascot.

O'Brien has landed the Queen's Vase six times and is two-handed with Santiago, the mount of Ryan Moore, and Nobel Prize, who will be partnered by Frankie Dettori.

Santiago makes the greater appeal. The son of Authorized was lightly raced at 2, getting off the mark on his third and final start at Listowel in September.

That was over a mile, and there could be any amount of improvement in him for this huge step up in trip. Nobel Prize brings a similar profile into the group 2, but his official rating of 88 is six pounds below that of his stablemate.

Plenty of people may be tempted to give Born With Pride the chance to atone for his hugely disappointing reappearance run behind Berlin Tango at Kempton.

The Born To Sea filly created an excellent impression when she beat Peaceful by a neck on heavy ground on her debut in November.

Peaceful gave that form a mighty boost with her fluent success in the Tattersalls Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1), but Born With Pride has questions to answer now.