Tag Archive for: Commonwealth Cup

Sakheer set to chart direct route to Commonwealth Cup

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Roger Varian has indicated Sakheer is likely to head straight to the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot after finishing sixth in the 2000 Guineas.

Although beaten on debut at Windsor, the Zoffany colt proved himself to be a high-class two-year-old – shedding his maiden in style at Haydock on his second start before putting in a most impressive display to claim the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury.

Despite racing over no further than six furlongs as a juvenile, Sakheer was upped to a mile for his return in the opening Classic of the season and while making promising progress at one stage, the testing conditions at Newmarket ultimately seemed to take a toll in the closing stages as he finished seven lengths adrift of Chaldean.

Sakheer having a racecourse gallop at Newmarket
Sakheer having a racecourse gallop at Newmarket (Tim Goode/PA)

Having recovered well from his Rowley Mile exertions, Sakheer’s handler has now taken the decision to revert back to the distance he made his name over at the Royal meeting and a race for which he is currently at the top of the ante-post lists at a best price of 11-2.

“He’s come out of the race well and most likely he will go straight to the Commonwealth Cup,” said Varian.

“It was such a messy race the 2000 Guineas, it was almost a non-event for us. He made quite an eyecatching move in the race, but it was all happening away from him and maybe he just didn’t get home the final 100 yards.

“We imagine a stiff six furlongs at Ascot is tailor-made for him.”

Sandy Lane option open for Commonwealth contender Cold Case

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Cold Case will be handed a Commonwealth Cup berth by Karl Burke after his scintillating victory at Ascot on Wednesday.

The three-year-old son of Showcasing took the Group Three British Racing School 40th Anniversary Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes by a length and a half on his seasonal debut.

Clifford Lee’s mount was always to the fore in the six-furlong event and completed a hat-trick, having already landed two valuable prizes at Doncaster and Redcar at the back-end of last season.

Cold Case could now have a run in the Group Two Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock on May 26 – a race the Leyburn yard won last year with El Caballo – before his Group One engagement at Royal Ascot.

Burke said: “We were delighted with that. He is a lovely horse and hopefully we can get him to win at a higher grade as well and get him a stallion’s job with a bit of luck.

“He is a lovely stamp of a horse. I would imagine he will go for the Sandy Lane, then the Commonwealth. If for any reason he doesn’t make the Sandy Lane, he will go straight to the Commonwealth.

“Ascot is not an easy track to make all, but he’s a horse who will stay further and stay seven (furlongs), I think. Certainly he’ll get another 100 yards and he’s an exciting horse for the future.”