Black-Type Analysis: Open Gold Cup With Kyprios Retired

[Wandering Eyes]

Thursday, Ascot, post time: 16:20, THE GOLD CUP-G1, £650,000, 4yo/up, 19f 210y

Field: Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Sweet William (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Trawlerman (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}), Wonder Legend (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Yashin (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), Illinois (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: No Kyprios, but in Illinois Ballydoyle have a serious follow-up act with this trip looking within his compass. Getting better as the year progressed at three, the St Leger form is looking much better after the Coronation Cup and he sets the standard. Candelari is the unknown quantity, having mastered the newly-promoted G1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier in the manner of a potential staying star, but it is a long time since this had a French winner and the likes of Vazirabad have been found wanting in recent times. Of the outsiders, Wonder Legend has abundant promise as the winner of the All-Weather Championships Marathon Handicap and one who loves the all-weather which seems link so well with this track. [Tom Frary].

Thursday, Ascot, post time: 15:40, THE RIBBLESDALE STAKES-G2, £250,000, 3yo, Open, 11f 211y

Field: Caspi Star (GB) (Camelot {GB}), Catalina Delcarpio (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Ecstatic (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), Garden Of Eden (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Go Go Boots (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Hollys Graces (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Island Hopping (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Lady Vivian (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Life Is Beautiful (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire]), Serenity Prayer (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Understudy (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: This is an open renewal with just the one Oaks runner in Go Go Boots due to the quick turnaround from Epsom this year. Catalina Delcarpio didn't look the strongest stayer when second in the 10-furlong G3 Salsabil Stakes at Navan in April, so it is a surprise to see her here while the G3 Musidora Stakes runner-up Serenity Prayer and Ballydoyle's Listed Naas Oaks Trial Stakes winner Garden Of Eden also move up in trip. The latter is one of three from Ballydoyle, but there is a case to be made for Ecstatic who despite seeming to tread water of late is out of Magic Wand who took a while to fine her feet too. [Tom Frary].

Thursday, Ascot, post time: 14:30, THE NORFOLK STAKES-G2, £150,000, 2yo, Open, 5f 0y

Field: Afjan (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}), Ameeq (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Charles Darwin (Ire) (No Nay Never), Clear Force (Ire) (Supremacy {Ire}), Comical Point (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Exclamation (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), First Legion (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Graft (Ire) (US Navy Flag), Hey Tru Blue (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}), Irish Fighter (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}), Lil Brother (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), London Boy (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Naval Light (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Sandal's Song (Mendelssohn), Star Material (Ire) (Starman {GB}), Wise Appraoch (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: No Outfielder, so this race has lost a potential superstar but there are still plenty who could emerge just as Gstaad did in the absence of Albert Einstein on Tuesday. Like Wesley Ward's hot prospect, Charles Darwin is another on the TDN Rising Star list who as a full-brother to Blackbeard has all the boxes ticked. Wise Approach is a half-brother to Perfect Power, who won this in 2021, while French interest is in the form of the Chantilly winner Afjan. [Tom Frary].

Thursday, Ascot, post time: 17:35, THE HAMPTON COURT STAKES-G3, £150,000, 3yo, Open, 9f 212y

Field: Al Shababi (GB) (Without Parole {GB}), Arabian Force (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Detain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Emit (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Glittering Legend (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Great David (GB) (Ribchester {Ire}), High Stock (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Jackknife (GB) (Kameko), Reyenzi (Fr) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), Sea Scout (Ire (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Stardrop (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), Tiberius Thunder (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Tornado Alert (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Trinity College (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: Two colts who showed up prominently in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club renew rivalry in Detain and Trinity College, with the 2,000 Guineas fourth and Derby sixth Tornado Alert bringing the Epsom form to the table. Glittering Legend has been laid out for this following his Listed Burradon Stakes win and shapes as a progressive type who should appreciate this track. [Tom Frary].

Friday, Royal Ascot, post time: 16:20, THE CORONATION STAKES-G1, £725,750, 3yo, f, 7f 213yT

Field: Cathedral (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Cercene (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Chantilly Lace (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Duty First (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), Exactly (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Falakeyah (GB) (New Bay {GB}), Flight (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), January (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Kon Tiki (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Simmering (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Zarigana (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}).

TDN Verdict: All connected with Zarigana will be hoping that the blueblood can finally shine at the top level after two narrow misses with the second resulting in a promotion by the stewards. There is no doubt that she was compromised by Shes Perfect's errant passage late on in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches without stating that she was definitely the better of the pair. What we do know is she is top-drawer material on the clock and she has a distinct edge over her chief rival Falakeyah in that regard, as for all that Shadwell's homebred was impressive in the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes it is one thing producing an excellent time performance over 10 furlongs and another to do it over a mile. Kon Tiki has it to do to get to this level despite her obvious promise and is currently a shorter price than Ballydoyle's Pouliches fourth Exactly, who has proven form in some important races and could prove an able deputy for Lake Victoria. [Tom Frary].

Friday, Royal Ascot, post time: 15:05, THE COMMONWEALTH CUP-G1, £725,750, 3yo, c/f, 6fT

Field: Ain't Nobody (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}), Arabie (GB) (Dandy Man {Ire}), Arizona Blaze (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev), Berkshire Whisper (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Big Mojo (Ire) (Mohaather {GB}), Diablo Rojo (Ire) (Pinatubo {Ire}), Ides Of March (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Jonquil (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Soldier's Heart (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Strong Warrior (GB) (Mehmas {Ire}), Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never), Arabian Dusk (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Babouche (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), Carla Ridge (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Lady With The Lamp (Ire) (King Of Change {GB}), Leovanni (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}), Rayevka (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Sayidah Dariyan (Ire) (Dariyan {Fr}), Shisospicy (Mitole), Sky Majesty (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Time For Sandals (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}).

TDN Verdict: This is as good a Commonwealth Cup as has been run so far and one of the best races of the meeting, such is the depth of quality. Shadow Of Light beat Whistlejacket hollow in the Middle Park and proved in the 2,000 Guineas that he has not taken one step backwards with a huge run in third. Babouche has also dealt with Whistlejacket in both the Phoenix Stakes and in Naas's G3 Lacken Stakes last month and if it wasn't for her below-par effort in the Cheveley Park would be hard to oppose, while Jonquil is may not be quite quick enough even allowing for the stiff nature of this sprint. Ballydoyle's second string Ides Of March retains promise despite his defeats this term, while Rayevka dazzled in Chantilly's Listed Prix Marchand d'Or and is very much a contender. Other Stakes-winning fillies Sky Majesty, Shisospicy, Arabian Dusk and Lady With The Lamp add considerable weight to the line-up. [Tom Frary].

Friday, Royal Ascot, post time: 17:35, THE KING EDWARD VII STAKES-G2, £250,000, 3yo, c/g, 11f 211yT

Field: Amiloc (GB) (Postponed {Ire}), Convergent (Ire) (Fascinating Rock {Ire}), Galveston (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Green Storm (Ire) (Circus Maximus {Ire}), Minhad (GB) (Universal {Ire}), Nightwalker (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Opportunity (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Puppet Master (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Regal Ulixes (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), Wimbledon Hawkeye (GB) (Kameko), Zahrann (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: Amiloc had to miss the Derby, as he is a gelding, so this is very much his Blue Riband and he has looked a formidable talent on the rise in his two starts at Goodwood this term. Given the quality of Aidan O'Brien's middle-distance colts, Puppet Master warrants maximum respect having been targeted at this since his Listed Lingfield Derby Trial win, while The Aga Khan Studs representative Zahrann is another live Irish contender having won Leopardstown's Listed King George V Cup in style. [Tom Frary].

Friday, Royal Ascot, post time: 14:30, THE ALBANY STAKES-G3, £125,000, 2yo, f, 6fT

Field: Awaken (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Balantina (Ire) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}), Bibi Dahl (American Pharoah), Fairy Oak (GB) (A'Ali {Ire}), Fitzella (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), Gold Digger (Ire) (Starman {GB}), Green Sense (Ire) (Starman {GB}), Indigo Dawn (Ire) (Nando Parrado {GB}), Ipanema Queen (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}), Magny Cours (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}), Nandita (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Oh Cecelia (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Senorita Vega (Ire) (Lucky Vega {Ire}), Signora (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Spinning Lizzie (GB) (Kameko), Tahalel (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), Venetian Sun (Ire) (Starman {GB}).

TDN Verdict: This looks wide-open, but the money has spoken for the impressive Carlisle winner Venetian Sun and Ballydoyle's Signora who was third on debut behind Lady Iman in Naas's G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Blackbeard Fillies Sprint Stakes. The latter is out of the 2017 Queen Mary winner Heartache, so has the genetics to succeed here and it is obviously expected that she has made significant enough progress from her first day at school to reverse form with that race's runner-up Green Sense. [Tom Frary].

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