The Hardwicke Stakes (G2) was first run in 1879, named after the 5th Earl of Hardwicke, Master of the Buckhounds
from 1874-1879, and is the major local prep for the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes which is run in July
over the same course and distance. A field of 9 older horses went to post in this 1 1/2 mile trip over the Heath on
Saturday for a purse of £150,000 (about $293,500). 9-1 Happy Boy and 50-1 Shahin battled on the front
end for the first half, while 11-8 favorite Macarthur and 25-1 Multidimensional stalked them the whole way. Entering
the stretch, the pacesetters faded allowing Multidimensional to take over the lead. Macarthur moved up to challenge
and after a prolonged duel, Macarthur prevailed by a neck in 2:31.29 over the good-to-firm course. It was another 5
lengths back to 5-1 Maraahel in third.
Winning trainer Aidan O'Brien said, "Johnny gave him a great ride. This horse likes a nice, even pace. He did very well
to quicken up and we are very pleased with him. He's been very well since the Coronation Cup, but I might give him a
rest now and see how he is." It was the fifth win for the meeting for the team of O'Brien and jockey John Murtagh.
Henry Cecil, trainer of runner-up Multidimensional, said, "He just died on the line. Possibly the stiff mile and a half
here was a little too much and on an easier mile and a half he might have won. He has beaten by a very good horse,
but there were some very good horses behind him as well. I don't know what we will do next."
