Commonwealth Cup

The Commonwealth Cup has been blown wide open after market leaders Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) and Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) were ruled out of Friday's Group 1 at Royal Ascot.  Bucanero Fuerte was reported to have suffered from travel sickness by his owners Amo Racing while Vandeek will miss the six-furlong contest due to a poor blood count. A statement released by Simon and Ed Crisford on Monday morning read, "Unfortunately Vandeek will not be able to run in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot this Friday...

NEWMARKET, UK--Vandeek (GB), who is currently co-favourite for Friday's G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, was put through his paces by James Doyle on Newmarket's Limekilns gallop on Saturday morning. Easing clear of his two older work-mates, the son of Havana Grey (GB) galloped over six furlongs in what co-trainer Ed Crisford described as "a nice topping-up bit of work". Unbeaten last season in four starts, including the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S., Vandeek, who is owned by KHK Racing, ended 2023 as the highest-rated juvenile in...

Donnacha O'Brien is leaning towards the Coronation S. with 1,000 Guineas runner-up Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio) but has left the door open for his star filly to run in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. Porta Fortuna provided the County Tipperary handler with his first success at the summer showpiece when landing the Albany S. 12 months ago. Since then, Porta Fortuna has gone on to scoop Group 1 glory in the Cheveley Park S. and she also came mightily close to providing the trainer with his first Classic when...

Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) is firmly on course for the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. That is despite the fact that Simon and Ed Crisford's dual Group 1-winning juvenile star lost his unbeaten record in the G2 Sandy Lane S. at Haydock.  However, connections have reported the colt to have come out of that seasonal return effort in rude health, and that it is full steam ahead to the royal meeting.  "He's come out of the race very well, Simon and Ed Crisford have been pleased with his...

Kevin Ryan has confirmed that Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal) will be supplemented for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot following his dominant victory in the Sandy Lane S. at Haydock. Inisherin became the first horse to take the scalp of Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), who could only manage third, on Saturday. Ryan reports the colt to have come out of the 6f contest in rude health and says it is all systems go for Ascot.  "I was delighted with him on Saturday, he's a horse with a lot of speed,"...

By Emma Berry and Brian Sheerin On Tuesday the European Pattern Committee (EPC) announced that 42 races are at risk of being downgraded in 2025, including Britain's G1 Commonwealth Cup. Its status will depend very much on its performance in 2024, which will mark the tenth running of the race introduced to the British calendar in 2015 as a readymade Group 1 in order to "create a more balanced programme and better opportunities for high-class sprinters". The Commonwealth Cup, run at Royal Ascot over six furlongs for three-year-olds only, was...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- From the very beginning, young trainer George Boughey has made one thing quite clear--when the opportunity presents, he wants to travel horses to play the game on the international stage at the very highest level. At this time last year, Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah's Al Dasim (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}) was about a month away from making an early-season debut; twelve months on from that somewhat disappointing fifth when favoured in a five-furlong maiden at Leicester, the chestnut colt will be one of the choices...

Caravaggio (Scat Daddy--Mekko Hotke, by Holy Bull), the leading European first-crop sire of 2021, has been acquired by the Japanese Bloodstock Breeders Association (JBBA) and is set to continue his stud career at Shizunai Stallion Station, according to multiple published reports. Trained by Aidan O'Brien for Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, Caravaggio was perfect in four runs as a juvenile, including a defeat of Mehmas (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in the G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot and capped by a four-length success in the G1 Keeneland Phoenix...

Connections of Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) have lost their appeal to have the colt's disqualification from victory in Royal Ascot's G1 Commonwealth Cup overturned. Dragon Symbol and the American-trained filly Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) fought out a thrilling stretch duel in the six furlong contest, with Dragon Symbol crossing the wire a head the better, but the placings were reversed on account of Dragon Symbol bumping Campanelle on numerous occasions during the run and taking her off her line. Stewards on the day deemed the interference was enough...

Trainer Archie Watson has lodged an appeal with the British Horseracing Authority against the decision by stewards at Royal Ascot to disqualify Yoshiro Kubota's Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) from victory in last week's G1 Commonwealth Cup. Dragon Symbol and Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) moved into a joint lead approaching the final furlong of the Commonwealth Cup, at which point Dragon Symbol, ridden by Oisin Murphy, began to drift towards the far side rail, bumping Campanelle, with Frankie Dettori aboard, as he did so. Stewards deemed that at the...

After the drawn-out saga of Thursday's G1 Gold Cup, Royal Ascot moves back toward speed on Friday with the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Commonwealth Cup acting as a dual focus on a day that is forecast to see an abundance of rain. In terms of prize money and its longstanding status, the Coronation holds sway and another typically fierce renewal sees the May 2 G1 1000 Guineas heroine Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) bid to hold on to her title in a rematch with the compatriot in whose shadow...

Sean Levey has already set several notable benchmarks in British racing--being the first black jockey to ride in the Derby in 2016 when fifth on Humphrey Bogart (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) and, two years later, the first black jockey to win a British Classic when steering Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) to victory in the G1 1000 Guineas-and next week Levey hopes to earn a belated first Royal Ascot victory. The 33-year-old Swaziland-born rider, who will partner the likes of Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Happy Romance (Ire) (Dandy...