Architect Tips 14/1 Group 1 Double for Friday at Royal Ascot

Little Big Bear might just prove impossible to beat in the Commonwealth Cup, especially with the form of his Phoenix Stakes success working out well due to Bradsell winning the King’s Stand earlier this week. As much as I think he is the one they all have to beat though, I will take him on in favour of LEZOO (best price 8/1) whose Royal Ascot odds significantly underestimate her chances here.

Ralph Beckett’s smart filly only tasted defeat once as a two-year-old and that came when marginally edged out by Mawj in the Duchess of Cambridge at the July meeting who she had previously beaten in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes. That form alone gives her an excellent chance of being competitive here, as the runner-up was last seen winning the 1000 Guineas.

She travelled well for a long way on her reappearance in that race, in the 1000 Guineas behind Mawj when eighth, and the return to this sprint distance will suit her well back on good ground. She will get the required strong pace to aim at, won easily over course-and-distance last July and is rated on identical terms (114) with second-favourite Sakheer, yet she is in receipt of weight from Roger Varian’s charge and has already established herself as a Group 1 winner.

Whether she can beat Little Big Bear is another story but I do think Aidan O’Brien’s red-hot favourite has an inflated rating of 124 and this filly should undeniably be matched closer to her at the prices.

Her record over six furlongs reads 1211 from four starts and she is actually open to further improvement. This has been the long-term plan and with connections having already had a good winner here earlier in the week, she could be another for them.

With Mawj unfortunately missing the rematch with TAHIYRA (best price 8/13) due to a setback, this is a golden opportunity for Dermot Weld’s Irish 1000 Guineas winner to make it 4-0 against Meditate and cement herself as the best filly this season. She is going to start a short-priced favourite according to latest Royal Ascot odds but she is the best horse in the race with the best form.

She won her first two starts in good style, including when having too many gears for Meditate in the Moyglare Stud Stakes and made her return in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, where she went down on her shield to Mawj, who had the benefit of track position and was conceding fitness to the winner as well. Meditate was well-held in sixth.

The pair drew well-clear of the remainder and she put her fitness to good use when showing her trademark turn of foot to beat Meditate by over two lengths. It is possible the runner-up will bridge the gap given she’s a Royal Ascot winner from last year but it is hard to see her turning the form around when it’s clear that Dermot Weld’s high-class filly has more natural ability and has already beaten her three times.

If Lezoo can land the first part of the double, I will be fairly confident we have the double in the bag as I just cannot see past this dual Group 1 winner. I cannot pick any holes in her credentials and is strongly fancied to stamp her class on this field by justifying favouritism.