3 minute read
In its short two-year history, the Royal Meeting's day four feature, the six-furlong Commonwealth Cup (3.40pm), part of the British Champion Series, has already become an important championship race and stepping stone for top class sprinting three-year-olds before they take on their elders in the big G1 sprints later in the year.
The year one winner, the Charlie Hills-trained Muhaarar, and last year's heroine Quiet Reflection have both ended their three-year-old season named the Cartier Champion Sprinters.
The third running of the G1 Commonwealth Cup sees a field of 12 declared for tomorrow, and the 10/11 favourite is the Aidan O'Brien-trained Caravaggio.
The son of Scat Daddy is unbeaten in five starts, his wins including a two and a half length victory over course and distance in the G2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot last year, a success followed up by G1 victory in the six-furlong Phoenix Stakes.
He has had one start this year when he took the six-furlong Group 3 Lacken Stakes by an easy four and three-quarter lengths at Naas in May. O'Brien has reported then that the horse is one of the fastest he has ever trained, and added that there was room for improvement after the seasonal debut success. He acts on fast ground.
Harry Angel mounts a serious challenge. Trained by Clive Cox, already a 2017-winning Royal Ascot trainer, the colt by Dark Angel made all in last month's Haydock Listed Sandy Lane Stakes, smashing the course record on firm ground. It was a race won in 2016 by Quiet Reflection en route to her Commonwealth Cup success.
The Cox stable has always held the colt on high regard and is very bullish regarding his chances. Harry Angel was purchased by Godolphin after his Haydock victory.
Harry Angel was, though, beaten first time out in May over course and distance in the Merriebelle Stables Pavilion Stakes (G3). His conqueror that day was the Charlie Appleby-trained Blue Point (Tis Marvellous fourth), who opposes again. He has not run since that success, but he acts on the track, has never finished out of the first three in seven starts and has a preference for fast ground.
With the Appleby's Godolphin string in good form, there is little to split the pair.
Bound For Nowhere comes into this with an unbeaten record in two starts - and is yet another fast horse trained by the talented US-based Wesley Ward. The colt made his debut in January before moving on to Keeneland in April where he won with only daylight behind him.
Ward has already had two winners this week, and if he has not already added to his winning collection on Thursday, there is every chance Bound For Nowhere can make it a hat-trick this week for the trainer and take his career Royal Ascot winners to 10.
Straight Right was sold at the Goffs London Sale on Monday to new connections for £450,000. They will be hopeful of recouping some of that outlay here, but the French-trained colt has some improvement to find and has form mainly on good or good to soft ground.
Intelligence Cross's career highlight so far has been a fourth in the Middle Park Stakes (G1) last autumn, but he has not built on that and his Irish connections are reaching for the blinkers for the first time today.