Jack Dawling
Day four of Royal Ascot is all about the three-year-old generation in the two Group 1 contests as the Commonwealth Cup and Coronation Stakes take centre stage.
In the Coronation Stakes, a mile contest for three-year-old fillies, the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Zarigana will bid to follow up her dramatic win in the French equivalent of the 1,000 Guineas when she faces 10 rivals.
The French raider flew home from the rear and was awarded the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches in the stewards’ room after it was deemed that first past the post, Shes Perfect, interfered with Graffard’s filly close to home.
Her main rival appears in the form of a pair of unbeaten rivals, Falakeyah and Kon Tiki, who were both supplemented.
In the Commonwealth Cup, the G1 2,000 Guineas third Shadow Of Light will aim to provide Charlie Appleby with another Group 1 for the week after Ombudsman landed Wednesday’s Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.
NAP: R6 #1 Amiloc
David Morgan
It’s not often you get two horses placed top three in the mile classics turning up in a Group 1 sprint race a few weeks later, but that’s what we have with Godolphin’s Shadow Of Light and Juddmonte’s Jonquil in what could be the best field the Commonwealth Cup has produced. Jonquil was second in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains at Longchamp, while Shadow Of Light was third in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Not only that, but Shadow Of Light was also a champion two-year-old with wins in the G1 Middle Park Stakes and the G1 Dewhurst Stakes last year. He’ll have to be at his sharpest on the lightning fast Ascot turf, though. A big field of speedy rivals features last year’s G2 Queen Mary Stakes winner Leovanni, Juddmonte’s fast filly Babouche, Aiden O’Brien’s pair Ides Of March and Whistlejacket, and Big Mojo who won the designated trial for this first-up but had no luck last time at Haydock.
The unbeaten two-year-old Lady Iman has sidestepped Ascot but her form has been on show this week with True Love winning the G2 Queen Mary. The G3 Albany Stakes could enhance her stock further, as Green Sense and Signora lock horns again, having been second and third to Lady Iman at Naas.
The fascinating field of 17 also features Bibi Dahl, second to the Queen Mary third Lennilu at Gulfstream Park last time, and ridden by this year’s Preakness Stakes winning jockey Umberto Rispoli.
NAP: R4 #11 Zarigana
Andrew Hawkins
The three-year-old action extends beyond the Group 1 races to the G2 King Edward VII Stakes and the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes.
The King Edward VII Stakes is sometimes known as the Ascot Derby and it can attract horses coming from Epsom; five of the last 10 winners ran in The Derby before heading to Berkshire. However, with only Nightwalker and Green Storm representing that formline, alternatives look far more appealing.
Cocked Hat winner Amiloc, Lingfield Derby Trial victor Puppet Master, and Zahrann, who took the King George V Cup last start, all have claims – as does last year’s Royal Lodge Stakes winner Wimbledon Hawkeye, if he stays the trip.
A race later but an entirely different prospect is the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes over five furlongs. Added in 2020, it should be a lottery on paper but it has proven fairly straightforward in its five years so far.
Wathnan Racing has been one of the stories of the week and their success is set to continue with Realign, a son of Ascot five-furlong favourite Blue Point. The William Haggas-trained colt won his maiden at Salisbury last start, but had finished second on debut last year behind Commonwealth Cup favourite Shadow Of Light and shapes as though the shorter trip should suit.
NAP: R1 #14 Signora
Day 4 of Royal Ascot begins Friday at 2:30pm (GMT). ∎
