Illinois Has The Gold Cup Baton As O’Brien Seeks Number 10

[Wandering Eyes]

Most trainers don't get one Gold Cup legend in their training career, but Aidan O'Brien is already on two and on the look-out for a third as Illinois flies the flag in Thursday's Royal Ascot feature. Tasked with bringing home a 10th renewal, one of last high-class sons of Galileo has an ideal profile having contested the St Leger and won this meeting's G2 Queen's Vase at three. While his predecessor Kyprios took time to show his true class, this colt was among the best of the Classic generation and his return win in Chester's G3 Ormonde Stakes screamed Gold Cup heavyweight.

“Everything has gone well so far and we always thought he was a horse who could step into the role of a Gold Cup horse,” O'Brien said. “We thought he could do that next year and he was standing in line behind Kyprios, but he's had his run and it went well. We have always thought he would stay the trip, but it's not until you go past the quarter pole in the Gold Cup that you find out.”

If Illinois fails to live up to his billing, the Aga Khan Studs representative Candelari (Frankel) could be the chief beneficiary having dominated last month's G1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier. Rattling off a closing three-furlong sectional of :34.58 which is fast for a stayer, the unexposed homebred bids to become the first French-trained winner of this since Westerner 20 years ago.

Nemone Routh revealed that Candelari was close to being one of the operation's cast-off before his sudden rise to prominence. “He is a horse who has taken us massively by surprise,” the Stud's racaing manager said. “We nearly sold him unraced in November, but took him out during the week of the sale because he is so well-bred and he hadn't had any major setbacks. He's just a big horse who was quite immature and after we castrated him it took us a while to get him fit again.”

“The question marks are over whether he will stay the distance, we believe he will because he finishes his races strongly but obviously that is an unknown and he probably lacks the experience of the rest of the field. He only made his debut in December, so he's only really been racing for six months, but then he's not got as many miles on the clock as some of the others and I think he's a natural stayer and a very genuine horse.”

Godolphin's Trawlerman (Golden Horn) was a length behind Kyprios 12 months ago and five lengths clear of stablemate Sweet William (Sea The Stars) and has maintained his level admirably, but he probably needs the 4-year-olds to flop. James Fanshawe is a trainer always worth paying respect to at this meeting and there is a lot to like about the way he has delivered Wonder Legend (Sea The Stars) to this race. Better than ever when running away with the All-Weather Championships Marathon Handicap on Newcastle's Tapeta, he hasn't a great deal to find with the principals.

Charles Darwin To Continue Ballydoyle's Streak?

Having completed a major double in the Coventry and Queen Mary on the opening two days, Aidan O'Brien takes aim at the G2 Norfolk Stakes with TDN Rising Star Charles Darwin (No Nay Never). The full-brother to Blackbeard gave eight pounds to Cardiff By The Sea at Naas last time and that form was franked when that daughter of St Mark's Basilica ran a close fourth in Wednesday's Queen Mary. As with Gstaad and True Love, the market is speaking loudly at present.

Al Shaqab Racing's Chantilly scorer Afjan (Mehmas) is out of Al Johrah who beat all bar Lady Aurelia here in the 2016 Queen Mary, while Godolphin's TDN Rising Star Wise Approach is a half-brother to the 2021 winner of this race, Perfect Power.

In the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes, TDN Rising Star and G3 Salsabil Stakes runner-up Catalina Delcarpio (Lope De Vega) warrants respect, but her stamina will be tested here and it is not guaranteed. Westerberg's G3 Musidora Stakes runner-up Serenity Prayer (Dubawi) was closest to Whirl at York and that looks smart form now, with this step up to a mile and a half sure to suit. Ballydoyle's contingent includes the Listed Naas Oaks Trial Stakes winner Garden Of Eden (Saxon Warrior) and Ecstatic (Lord Kanaloa) whose dam Magic Wand captured this in 2018.

There is a renewing of G1 Prix du Jockey Club rivalry in the G3 Hampton Court Stakes, with Juddmonte's Detain (Wootton Bassett) and Ballydoyle's Trinity College (Dubawi) having been third and fourth respectively in the Chantilly Classic. “It was a huge run the last day and he was beaten three-quarters of a length which is very little,” Juddmonte's Barry Mahon said of Detain. “We initially thought Ascot would come too soon, but he has bounced out of Chantilly well and John and Thady are both very happy with him.”

Zarigana & Falakeyah In Line For Coronation Battle

Friday's Royal Ascot confirmations have been made and the clash between the Aga Khan Studs star Zarigana (Siyouni) and Shadwell's exciting Falakeyah (New Bay) in the G1 Coronation Stakes is the highlight of the card. The former, who was awarded the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches last month, will attempt to establish herself at the top of the fillies' pecking order in this mile category with fellow TDN Rising Star Falakeyah dangerously unexposed coming back in trip after her scintillating win in Newmarket's Listed Pretty Polly Stakes. Others of note among the 11 contenders include the 1,000 Guineas runner-up Flight (Siyouni) and another Listed winner stepping into the heat of Group 1 battle in Kon Tiki (Night Of Thunder).

In the fixture's other Group 1 contest, 22 sprinters take part in the Commonwealth Cup with Godolphin's G1 Middle Park Stakes winner Shadow Of Light (Lope De Vega) the key protagonist dropping back to six having been third in the 2,000 Guineas. Juddmonte hold a strong hand, with the G1 Phoenix Stakes winner Babouche (Kodiac) lining up alongside the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains runner-up and fellow TDN Rising Star Jonquil (Lope De Vega), while Ballydoyle's duo include the G1 Prix Morny winner Whistlejacket (No Nay Never).

There are 11 set to feature in the G2 King Edward VII Stakes, where the unbeaten Ralph Beckett-trained Listed Cocked Hat Stakes scorer Amiloc (Postponed) occupies favouritism over Ballydoyle's Listed Lingfield Derby Trial winner Puppet Master (Camelot). Of the 17 2-year-old fillies confirmed for the opening G3 Albany Stakes, Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy's daughter of first-season sire Starman, the Carlisle winner Venetian Sun, is the market-leader at present in an open renewal.

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