The Commonwealth Cup is a relatively new addition to the Royal Ascot schedule, but it’s proved to be a successful implementation given the calibre of sprinters that have won it since its inception in 2015.
Muhaarar landed the inaugural running prior to landing a subsequent three Group One victories and has turned into a successful stallion at stud. The mare Quiet Reflection landed the race in 2016, subsequently taking the Haydock Group One Sprint Cup later in the season, and is perhaps now better known as the dam of the exceptional Lake Victoria. The electric Caravaggio added to his Coventry Stakes success to take the Commonwealth Cup in 2017 prior to siring the likes of Maljoom and Porta Fortuna at stud.
Eqtidaar, Advertise, Campanelle, Perfect Power, Shaquille and Inisherin have all added their name to the illustrious roll of sprinting honours, and with a plethora of Group One form-lines, this years renewal looks particularly deep to decipher.
Market Leaders
Shadow Of Light
The 2000 Guineas third Shadow Of Light had this race earmarked for him immediately after Newmarket, having initially made a swooping run from rear on the outside displaying a smart turn of foot to marginally lead the field, before weakening late on for third.
The front three pulled clear of the fourth there, and Field Of Gold has evidently franked the form in abundance. His form over six furlongs reads 1121, including a dominant performance in the Group One Middle Park over Whistlejacket, and if he can back up that Guineas effort then the son of Lope De Vega could prove a tough nut to crack.
Babouche
Colin Keane has already stamped his presence as Juddmonte’s retained rider and given how well he knows this Kodiac filly, further Group One glory could well be within reach. Babouche marked herself as one to note in top level sprints having bolted up at the Curragh on debut last June, before notching up two further successes there including the Group One Phoenix Stakes by a length from Whistlejacket.
She came up short on softer ground in the Cheveley Park Stakes behind Lake Victoria and the alarms regarding not training on were raised when a beaten 11/8F on seasonal debut in listed company, but she brushed aside any concerns after confirming the form with Whistlejacket at Naas having travelled strongly, albeit a touch keenly, before coming down the outside with a winning run.
A strongly run contest will aid in that respect, and she’s drawn well alongside Shadow Of Light to be given a good toe into proceedings.
Jonquil
Juddmonte’s second string Jonquil has similarities with the favourite given he’s also dropping down in trip from a Guineas, after being beaten a head by Henri Matisse in the French equivalent. The winner was second in St James’s Palace Stakes on Wednesday and the third has since won the French Derby, so he’s split some smart sorts and his performances in the Greenham on seasonal debut was particularly impressive.
The drop back to six furlongs is a complete known however given he’s yet to race below the seven, but his dam was a winner and black type placed over this trip which provides some optimism, though he’ll likely require a strongly run race to be seen to best effect.
Whistlejacket
Connections teamed up to land this with Caravaggio in 2017 and Whistlejacket may be slightly overlooked in the market at this stage given his intertwining form with the principals. The full brother to Little Big Bear only ever seems to do enough in his races and is yet to be beaten more than two lengths. He’s drawn in the middle and I’d imagine Ryan Moore will pop out and let him bowl along as he can be keen, thus reigning him back and disrupting his rhythm would likely hinder his chances, and unlike the three ahead of him in the betting he boasts some course form having finished first in his group of seven in the Norfolk Stakes last season.
Ides Of March
Coolmore’s other charge Ides Of March has been subject to second string, but there’s little between him and Whistlejacket and a hold up ride from his draw could prove successful given he’s based around those to the fore of the market.
He couldn’t quite reel in Wokingham contender Symbol Of Honour in the Carnarvon Stakes, but that one’s franked the form since in Group Two company. He’s bred to revel on this firmer surface and given he came on for his first two runs of last season, he may be ready to peak.
Outsiders To Consider
Big Mojo
Big Mojo was ahead of both Whistlejacket and Ideas Of March in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint at Del Mar in November, having previously been beaten a neck in the Flying Childers.
He ran too green to do himself justice on his sole start over six furlongs last season but he had threatened to improve for the trip, and after a subsequent wind operation, he successfully won on seasonal debut over this distance in the Commonwealth Cup Trial over C&D.
He wasn’t disgraced when devoid of a run at a crucial stage in the Sandy Lane Stakes when behind Symbol Of Honour, which would suggest he’s overpriced with Ideas Of March on collateral form. He’s drawn in the middle in stall twelve so Hollie Doyle will have to be proactive in gaining cover on the right part of the track early on, but as the sole C&D winner in this field he has to be taken into consideration.
Leovanni
Last season’s Queen Mary winner Leovanni bids to emulate Campanelle in winning the Commonwealth Cup a season later, and caught the eye strongly over five furlongs in the Achilles Stakes at Haydock last time out.
The Kodi Bear filly was all dressed up with nowhere to go in behind leaders, but she came home strongly under hands and heels up the rail once there was daylight and both the winner and the sixth ran very well in the King Charles III Stakes on what was the wrong part of the track.
She’s accordingly priced with a bit more to prove, but she’s a Royal winner in her own right and it’ll be no surprise should she come on from that Haydock effort back against her own age group.
Ain’t Nobody
Despite all the market protagonists being drawn high, only two winners of the ten renewals came from double figure draws and last year’s Windsor Castle winner could spring a surprise from stall five.
Ain’t Nobody perhaps won a weak renewal, but he’s proved to some degree that he’s trained on this term with two close up efforts in the Commonwealth Cup Trial and the Sandy Lane Stakes. He came with what looked like a winning run on seasonal debut but looked to blow up late on, and it paid to race off the pace in the Sandy Lane Stakes so his prominent display there can be marginally upgraded, particularly given how well he travelled.
The suspicion is that he may be better off over five furlongs, but he’s the sole runner for a yard who took this last season and minor honours aren’t out of the question.
Verdict
Given how strongly she hit the line at Naas, BABOUCHE gets the nod in what looks a highly competitive Commonwealth Cup. The Kodiac filly skipped over the firm surface in the Phoenix Stakes last term and gets that once more here. Her tendency to be keen should be counteracted from the large field with the market leaders drawn around her, and she still looks to have some untapped potential up her sleeve.
Shadow Of Light can follow the selection home given this drop back in trip should suit judged on his Guineas run, which was the case with both Inisherin, Perfect Power and Advertise, who all won the Commonwealth Cup after failing to stay the mile in the classic.
The sole C&D winner Big Mojo would’ve been two from two this season and much shorter in the market here had he got racing room earlier at Haydock, and while he might just lack the class of a couple, he’ll be well suited to a race of this nature.
Commonwealth Cup 1-2-3
- Babouche
- Shadow Of Light
- Big Mojo
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