The Henry II Stakes is a race blessed with an historic and impressive roll of honour. We’ve had an in-depth look at the history of the race, alongside this year’s field, courtesy of Hollywoodbet‘s new customer offer of £20 In Free Bets when you bet £10.
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History
One of the big staying landmarks of the season, the Group 3 Henry II Stakes is run over 2m, providing a springboard to the long distance Group 1s later in the season. First staged in 1963, it has been won by a host of top names in its history, a number of whom have claimed races such as the Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup or Irish St Leger later in their respective seasons.
The likes of Ragstone, Buckskin and Ardross were all top quality stayers either side of their victories in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The last named was a particular hero in contest with an emphasis on stamina, winning two Yorkshire Cups and a pair of Gold Cups to go alongside his success here in 1982.
In the 1990s, the race was particularly blessed with victorious staying superstars. Firstly, Mark Johnston’s superb Double Trigger won two Henry II Stakes’ in 1995 and 1996, in a career which also brought him hat-tricks in the Doncaster and Goodwood Cups, as well as a Gold Cup in 1995.
However, Persian Punch will always be a name that sticks out. One of the most popular names in the history of flat racing, David Eslworth’s gutsy stayer is the only horse to have won this race three times.
In more modern times, the globetrotting Brown Panther and the giant chestnut Big Orange have been successful on their way to bigger things. The majority of this year’s combatants are of a similar profile as they look to make their first serious mark in this division.
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This Year’s Field
The most intriguing entry this year is possibly the oldest. Jim Goldie’s nine-year-old Euchen Glen has had a remarkable career and has won over 2m in the past. However, in the last two years he has mostly made his name as a middle distance horse, winning all of his Group races between 1m2f-1m4f. With his advancing age, his trainer clearly believes that this trip may accentuate the burning embers of his ability.
The majority of the field are five-years-old or younger, though. Only Alounak and Nate The Great are above that age, but neither have made their mark at Listed level, let alone Group races, over any trip as yet.
The four-year-old John Leeper will be in receipt of 1lb from the rest of his rivals as the youngest horse in the race. He was a quiet fancy for the Derby a year ago, but has proven tripless since. This significant rise in trip could work, as it may for Thunderous, who has gradually stepped up from 1m4f at the start of the season and wears a first-time visor here.
Rodrigo Diaz is slightly more experienced at the distance, but returns from a fruitless spell in Dubai, so the pair who find themselves at the head of the market are Enemy and Quickthorn. Both very narrowly failed in the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes most recently, with both having shown marked improvement in recent starts.
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Big Race Verdict
There was little separating QUICKTHORN and Enemy in the Sagaro Stakes and while the latter ended up short of room against the running rail late on, the latter was finishing very strongly and may benefit from a generous front-running pace set by Thunderous.
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