Friday’s three-year-old sprint championship will see 15 runners line up in a bid to add their name to the roll of honour.
Commonwealth Cup
Sandy Lane Stakes winner Inisherin heads the market and will face challengers such as Jasour, Elite Status, and Starlust, who will provide a stern test to the favourite.
Below you will find my runner guide, along with a tip or two. Best of luck, and thanks for reading in advance!
Commonwealth Cup Runners Guide
Elite Status
- Trainer: Karl Burke
- Jockey: Clifford Lee
- Form: 131781
- Odds: 4/1
Four wins from seven starts and was impressive when winning Newbury’s Carnarvon Stakes last month.
He could make an impact back at this higher level, but he did come up short in a pair of Group 1 races last year and needs more.
Evade
- Trainer: Archie Watson
- Jockey: Oisin Murphy
- Form: 14291
- Odds: 25/1
Placed in a Group 3 in France last year and made a winning stable debut for Archie Watson at Epsom three weeks ago. More to come, but he looks out of his depth at this tougher level and, in my opinion, would be a surprise winner.
Givemethebeatboys
- Trainer: Jessica Harrington
- Jockey: Shane Foley
- Form: 143412
- Odds: 14/1
Largely consistent Irish raider and made Bucanero Fuerte pull out all the stops at Naas last time out when a head-second.
Finished a fine fourth in last season’s Coventry Stakes, is a Group 2 winner, and looks competitive on form.
Inisherin
- Trainer: Kevin Ryan
- Jockey: Tom Eaves
- Form: 2161
- Odds: 9/4
Two wins from four starts, and after running well to finish sixth in the 2000 Guineas, he dropped in trip to contest the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes and bolted up by more than three lengths.
He has a high cruising speed; he is the only horse to have beaten Vandeek and could be very difficult to beat with plenty of improvement to come.
Jasour
- Trainer: Clive Cox
- Jockey: Jim Crowley
- Form: 211891
- Odds: 6/1
Smart sprinter with Group 2 and Group 3 wins to his name. He underperformed in the Morny and Middle Park after winning last season’s July Stakes but was firmly back on track when seeing off subsequent winner Adaay In Devon over C&D in May.
His owner and trainer won this four years ago, and he is a serious player.
Kind Of Blue
- Trainer: James Fanshawe
- Jockey: Daniel Muscutt
- Form: 11
- Odds: 25/1
Plenty of speed in his pedigree, and he is an unknown quantity in the field. He’s unbeaten in two starts, and despite this being a significant step up in class, he could run well for a trainer that has enjoyed great success at this meeting in the past.
Lake Forest
- Trainer: William Haggas
- Jockey: Tom Marquand
- Form: 12417
- Odds: 25/1
Group 2 winner at York last August, but he was well beaten in the Group 1 Middle Park at Newmarket on his final start of the campaign, and he has plenty to prove now that he is returning from an eight-month absence.
Louis Barthas
- Trainer: Ollie Sangster
- Jockey: John Egan
- Form: 39
- Odds: 100/1
Well beaten in both starts to date and has an impossible task on his hands at this level. It is best to look elsewhere.
Malc
- Trainer: Richard Fahey
- Jockey: Oisin Orr
- Form: 12644
- Odds: 20/1
Not short of ability and finished runner-up in the Norfolk Stakes at this meeting last year. He has yet to match that form in three subsequent starts, though, and has work to do in order to reverse latest form with Elite Status.
Military
- Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- Jockey: Ryan Moore
- Form: 143544
- Odds: 33/1
Debut winner at Naas, but has displayed just useful form in tougher company since and was behind Givemethebeatboys when last spotted. I don’t think she’s classy enough to win this race.
Orne
- Trainer: John and Thady Gosden
- Jockey: Kieran Shoemark
- Form: 233202
- Odds: 25/1
Two wins and four placed efforts to his name, featuring a Group 3 win at Newmarket on heavy going and two placed efforts in Listed company on the all-weather.
Subsequently exceeded market expectations when finishing second in the Sandy Lane Stakes to Inisherin and could run well again here but is unproven on good ground.
Pocklington
- Trainer: Geoff Oldroyd
- Jockey: Harry Russell
- Form: 115
- Odds: 25/1
Won his first couple of starts and didn’t shape too badly on his turf debut in a Listed race last time out, finishing fifth behind Elite Status.
This will require a big chunk of improvement, but it’s interesting to see him lining up in this race rather than a handicap, so he could surprise a few.
Starlust
- Trainer: Ralph Beckett
- Jockey: Rossa Ryan
- Form: 532361
- Odds: 10/1
Group 3 winner on the all-weather at two and produced a cracking effort when third to Big Evs in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on his final start last season.
A below-par effort over C&D May followed a smart handicap performance at York when last seen, and he is another worth a second look.
Classic Power
- Trainer: Patrice Cottier
- Jockey: Mickael Barzalona
- Form: 251222
- Odds: 33/1
Decent filly who has finished runner-up at listed/Group 3 level at Chantilly three times this year and is an interesting participant.
Nevertheless, this is a steep rise in class, and a minor role might be the best thing she can hope for against tougher competition than she’s used to.
Pandora’s Gift
- Trainer: Stuart Williams
- Jockey: Sean Levey
- Form: 21111
- Odds: 25/1
Has only met with defeat once, winning four of her five starts, and impressed when scoring in listed company very smoothly last time out at Chelmsford.
This will be her first foray on the turf, but she’s progressive and could find the requisite improvement to make the places.
Commonwealth Cup Tips & Predictions
It was hard not to be impressed with the way INISHERIN (best price 9/4) catapulted himself into the picture for this race when demolishing his rivals in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock last time out.
He displayed great pace and gears to see off his rivals, considering it was his first ever run over a sprint distance, and there’s every chance that he could be even better on this stiffer track and faster ground.
This isn’t the strongest of renewals either, and he sets a good standard based on that latest piece of form. His handler is in excellent form too, so he is quite a confident choice to land a first Group 1 success.
