Hampton Court Stakes 2025 Tips: Jackknife can maneuver his way to victory

There is Group 3 action for the three-year-olds in the Hampton Court Stakes and this year’s renewal looks an open race. 

My selection for my Hampton Court Stakes 2025 tips centres on a horse who had no luck in-running last time, but caught the eye as a fast-finishing third. 

At 6/1, Jackknife rates one of the best bets of the entire Royal Ascot meeting. 

The three-year-old made a nice winning debut at Epsom where the son of Kameko was sent off a 13/8 chance under jockey Oisin Murphy.

Even when winning on first start, Jackknife looked to be crying out for a step up in trip and it was impressive that Roger Varian’s runner was able to get his head in front over an inadequate test on the Downs.

The son of Kameko then went for the listed Heron Stakes at Sandown at the end of last month, but he got no run, when again racing over the mile trip, which was unsurprisingly on the short side.

Jackknife was slowly away at Sandown, but he travelled into the race in the style of a useful performer, only to get badly stopped in his run, and the jockey was forced to make a dramatic switch of course two furlongs from the finish.

Murphy eventually got some daylight and stormed home a fast-finishing third to Opera Ballo, under tender handling.

That effort suggested that Varian has a very useful performer on his hands and certainly a horse which would benefit hugely for the step up in trip in the Hampton Court.

There is also encouragement in Jackknife’s breeding. The three-year-old is a half-brother to Defoe, who was also trained by Varian and won the Coronation Cup over the mile-and-a-half trip at Epsom.

The son of Kameko should be well up to Group 3 level and he is likely to relish moving up in distance at Ascot.

Jackknife may have slipped under the radar, given he doesn’t arrive at Ascot on the back of a win, but Varian’s runner was a huge eye-catcher at Sandown and 6/1 looks to seriously under-estimate the three-year-old’s chance in the Hampton Court.

Selected race(s). Applies to Each Way, Single & Multiple bets only. Antepost bets don’t apply. Min. runner rules apply. T&Cs Apply.

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