The final day of Royal Ascot was marked by thrilling conclusions in two premier races held on Saturday, June 20, with both the Hardwicke Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes decided by the narrowest of margins.

In the Hardwicke Stakes, covering a mile and a half, Giavellotto, trained by Marco Botti and starting at 9-1 odds, narrowly defeated the 9-4 favorite Kalpana by a short head. Giavellotto was ridden confidently by Oisin Murphy, who had yet to secure a victory at the meeting after 25 prior attempts. Botti praised Murphy’s strategy, noting his familiarity with the horse and his decision to track Kalpana closely throughout the race.

The final furlong saw French contender Goliath challenge strongly, but jockey Christophe Soumillon lost his right stirrup in the closing stages, affecting balance and possibly costing the win. Kalpana, ridden by Murphy in her pursuit of a first Ascot win after two previous second-place finishes, ultimately settled for second. The contest was a tighter rematch of their prior encounter at Kempton in September, where Giavellotto had also prevailed.

The six-furlong Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes delivered an equally dramatic finish, with outsider Almeraq securing victory by a nose in a four-horse photo finish. Starting at 25-1, Almeraq was positioned in the middle of the field for much of the race. The favorite, Australian runner Joliestar, led initially alongside Japanese entrant Satono Reve and French challenger Stolen Kiss. Almeraq made a late surge on the far side, edging ahead by the final strides to claim the win. Satono Reve took second place, with Joliestar finishing third.

Almeraq’s victory is especially notable given the horse suffered a severe fall at York last September, which resulted in jockey Jim Crowley sustaining multiple fractures and remaining sidelined since. Current rider Tom Marquand acknowledged Crowley’s absence, remarking on Almeraq’s resilience and character in overcoming the previous setback.

Both races underscored the unpredictable and fiercely contested nature of Royal Ascot’s concluding day, with narrow winning margins highlighting the competitive depth among the fields.