Commonwealth Cup tips and runner-by-runner guide to Friday’s 3.05 at Royal Ascot

20 runners. 1 Commonwealth Cup.

By / Horse Racing Tips, Royal Ascot / 2 years ago

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change

Perfect Power, the winner of last year’s Norfolk Stakes, heads the 20-strong field for the Commonwealth Cup at 3.05pm on Friday at Royal Ascot 2022.

The Ardad colt drops significantly back in trip for his third run of the campaign after finishing seventh in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in April.

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Among Perfect Power’s rivals in this are the likes of El Caballo, Ehraz and Go Bears Go are also declared while Slipstream and Miramar add a touch of international flair to the contest.

You’ll find Commonwealth Cup tips from our horse racing experts and a runner-by-runner guide to the 20-strong field below.

Commonwealth Cup runners

Boonie

Trainer: Kevin Ryan Jockey: Kevin Stott Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Draw: 10

Speedy 2-y-o who showed he’d trained on with reappearance win in 5f Nottingham conditions event in April. Disappointing he failed to finish the job at York a month later and this is a huge jump up in class.

Cadamosto

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien Jockey: Ryan Moore Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Draw: 8

Useful form at the first time of asking when landing an AW maiden in April 2021 but has merely matched that form in listed/Group 2 company since. In top hands but hard to see him playing a leading role in first-time blinkers.

Ehraz

Trainer: Richard Hannon Jockey: Jim Crowley Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Draw: 2

Confirmed last summer’s debut promise in no uncertain terms in a C&D maiden a fortnight later. Better form in defeat this spring, third to Go Bears Go in a trial for this on reappearance back here and then a narrow second to Tiber Flow at Newbury.

El Caballo

Trainer: K. R. Burke Jockey: Clifford Lee Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Draw: 20

Runner-up on debut last spring but unbeaten since, typically finding bundles for pressure when touching off Tiber Flow at Newcastle and Flaming Rib in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock. Most likeable and just about the one to beat.

Flaming Rib

Trainer: Hugo Palmer Jockey: James Doyle Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Draw: 12

Stood up really well to an intense 2-y-o campaign for Tom Dascombe and took form to a new level when a comfortable winner of a minor race at Chester (5f). Continued the excellent work over 6f when a neck-second to El Caballo in the Sandy Lane.

Gis A Sub

Trainer: Kevin Ryan Jockey: Daniel Tudhope Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Draw: 15

Pontefract novice winner who excelled himself when runner-up in the Gimcrack last summer. Hasn’t done anything since to think he’s anywhere near this level. Blinkers reached for.

Go Bears Go

Trainer: David Loughnane Jockey: Rossa Ryan Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Draw: 4

Group 2 winner as a juvenile in Ireland and also placed at the highest level in the Phoenix Stakes that summer. Well prepared to win a trial for this on reappearance in April (ahead of Ehraz) and better than result behind El Caballo in the Sandy Lane.

Hierarchy

Trainer: Hugo Palmer Jockey: James McDonald Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Draw: 17

Very useful juvenile who matched pick of that form when splitting Go Bears Go and Ehraz in the trial for this over C&D in April. Unable to confirm form with latter rival when swamped late in listed company at Newbury.

Perfect Power

Trainer: Richard Fahey Jockey: Christophe Soumillon Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Draw: 1

One of the leading juveniles in 2021, landing the Norfolk at this meeting a year ago prior to a brace of wins at the highest level, including the Middle Park. Greenham success confirmed he’d trained on and perhaps didn’t stay when mid-field in the 2000 Guineas.

Rizg

Trainer: Roger Varian Jockey: Hollie Doyle Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Draw: 14

Yarmouth novice winner sole 2-y-o start and still looked green when failing to land the odds on reappearance at Doncaster. Excellent fourth upped to listed level at Newbury but no real reason why he’ll reverse the form with Tiber Flow and Ehraz unless blinkers prompt another jolt of progress.

Sam Maximus

Trainer: James Horton Jockey: P. J. McDonald Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Draw: 19

Highly tried on occasions last year following a winning debut for Tom Dascombe, attaining a useful level of form. Promising start for up-and-coming yard when just behind Ehraz in listed company on reappearance and that’s a good platform to build on.

Slipstream

Trainer: Christophe Clement Jockey: Joel Rosario Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Draw: 18

Successful twice at 2 yrs, including in Grade 3 Futurity Stakes at Belmont. Sixth of 13 behind Modern Games in Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar and further improvement when winning 7-runner listed race at Keeneland on reappearance. Versatile regarding trip and he commands respect.

Tiber Flow

Trainer: William Haggas Jockey: Tom Marquand Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Draw: 13

Very progressive on AW, winning first 3 starts and showing smart form when just failing against El Caballo in valuable 6f Newcastle contest on Good Friday. Didn’t need to improve the regain the successful thread when narrowly fending off Ehraz at Newbury. Huge player with headgear on.

Twilight Jet

Trainer: M. D. O’Callaghan Jockey: L. F. Roche Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Draw: 11

Smart colt who landed Group 3 Cornwallis at Newmarket (5f) in October in what was a busy 2-y-o season. Better than ever when a decisive winner in Group 3 company at Naas (6f) and he’s worth a shot at this level.

Wings Of War

Trainer: Clive Cox Jockey: Adam Kirby Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Draw: 5

Likeable colt who doubled his tally with a gutsy success in the Mill Reef at Newbury in September. Probably needed the run on reappearance over C&D and reacted really well to cheekpieces when third to El Caballo and Flaming Rib at Haydock.

Flotus

Trainer: Simon & Ed Crisford Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa Age: 3 Weight: 8st 13lbs Draw: 9

Different proposition when ridden more positively at the end of her 2-y-o campaign, easily winning Ripon listed race before second in Group 1 Cheveley Park. Low-key reappearance but much more like it when a neck second at Haydock a month ago.

Hala Hala Athmani

Trainer: Kevin Ryan Jockey: William Buick Age: 3 Weight: 8st 13lbs Draw: 6

Half-sister to very smart 6f winner Hello Youmzain and smart winner up to 1¼m Royal Youmzain. Outclassed pretty limited opposition on debut in August and much better form when third in the Group 3 Firth of Clyde a month later. Off since and this a tough race to reappear in.

Miramar

Trainer: C. & Y. Lerner Jockey: Ronan Thomas Age: 3 Weight: 8st 13lbs Draw: 7

Useful performer, improved to win 11-runner Prix Sigy at Chantilly last time by ¾ length from Caturra, staying on well to lead to late. Going the right way but this is a tall order on British debut.

Sacred Bridge

Trainer: G. M. Lyons Jockey: C. T. Keane Age: 3 Weight: 8st 13lbs Draw: 3

Looked destined for the top when winning first 4 starts in Ireland (at up to Group 3 level). Has lost a bit of her lustre since, but returned to sprinting, she did regain the successful thread in listed company at Cork.

Zain Claudette

Trainer: Ismail Mohammed Jockey: Sean Levey Age: 3 Weight: 8st 13lbs Draw: 16

C&D winner who continued theme of race-by-race progress when completing the hat-trick in the Lowther at York in August. Bombed out in the Cheveley Park a month later and off since. Tongue tie fitted.

Commonwealth Cup tips

Matt Chapman: I’ve followed EHRAZ off a cliff since his scintillating Ascot success last season and here’s the time to go again. Ehraz has been very much a work in progress and getting him to finish off his races has been the big aim. He finally did that again at Newbury last time and he’ll travel like a machine off a strong gallop. I’m hoping for the best for Richard Hannon and Jim Crowley and will have a few quid on each-way.

Rory Delargy: The current price is too big for FLOTUS. She was a very smart filly last season, she’s got lots of early toe to get her into a good position and probably needed the run on her return. If she’s 25/1 and bigger I’d definitely back Flotus each-way.

Mick Fitzgerald: The horse I like at the prices is TWILIGHT JET. He does not have to find much on the book having finished close up to the favourite in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. He looked like he had done well over the winter when winning at Naas and he is the value in here.

Timeform: Unsurprisingly for a Group 1 restricted to 3-y-os there’s plenty of collateral form to go on and EL CABALLO emerges as just about the one to beat having narrowly seen off Tiber Flow and Flaming Rib (with several of these further behind) on his last 2 starts. Perfect Power possesses a different profile having scaled the heights as a 2-y-o and trained with a Guineas in mind this season and he may emerge as the chief threat.

Ruby Walsh: I like EHRAZ. I thought he was unlucky at Newbury in the Carnarvon Stakes when finishing second behind Tiber Flow. He’s an improving horse and he won at the meeting last year.

Jason Weaver: EHRAZ has been stepping up nicely with each start so far this term including over course and distance on his return to action. He then flashed home from way back at Newbury last time out. Admittedly, he has a little to find on official ratings, however, he appears to be drawn on the right part of the track and comes in with the team in red-hot form.

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change

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