Black-Type Analysis: Zarigana Aiming For A Straightforward Coronation

[Wandering Eyes]

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].

Saturday, Ascot, post time: 15:40, THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II JUBILEE S.-G1, £1,000,000, 4yo/up, 6f 0y

Field: Annaf (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), Elite Status (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Grand Grey (Ire) (Havana Grey {GB}), Iberian (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Inisherin (GB) (Shamardal), James's Delight (Ire) (Invincible Army {Ire}), Jasour (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Lazzat (Fr) (Territories {Ire}), Run To Freedom (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), Sajir (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), Satono Reve (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), Storm Boy (Aus) (Justify), Topgear (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Flora Of Bermuda (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Great Generation (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Nighteyes (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: As competitive as it gets, this renewal has leading lights coming from multiple countries with last year's G1 Commonwealth Cup hero Inisherin battling to ward off overseas threats. He looked a sharper model on his return at York last month and this track is tailor-made for his style. Last year's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Lazzat is one of his chief rivals and has a lot to commend him on form and on the clock, while his compatriot Topgear drops back in trip and will be a threat to all if able to tighten up sufficiently. Whether Aidan O'Brien can turn Storm Boy around from his seasonal bow is open to question, but he seems to have his annual midas touch this week while the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner Satono Reve shakes things up even more. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Ascot, post time: 15:05, THE HARDWICKE S.-G2, £250,000, 4yo/up, 11f 211y

Field: Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Bellum Justum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Burdett Road (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), Candleford (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Epic Poet (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Ghostwriter (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Palladium (Ger) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Space Legend (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}), Tabletalk (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).

TDN Verdict: Rebel's Romance keeps going and going and there is no reason why he won't stamp his class on this. Ghostwriter may stay a mile and a half, but it is not a given and Al Riffa is probably the biggest threat to Godolphin's globetrotter with first-time blinkers. Candleford has won impressively on his seasonal bow at this meeting before and although that was a handicap, it is an interesting move by William Haggas to come here first time. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Ascot, post time: 16:20, THE JERSEY S.-G3, £150,000, 3yo, Open, 7f 0y

Field: Benevento (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Brian (Ire) (Shaman {Ire}), Caburn (Ire) (Twilight Son {GB}), Comanche Brave (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Dhitjari (GB) (Mehmas {Ire}), Marvelman (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Noble Champion (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), One Smack Mac (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), Pellitory (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev), Remmooz (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}), Saracen (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), Seagulls Eleven (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}), Spy Chief (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Yah Mo Be There (GB) (Mohaather {GB}), California Dreamer (GB) (Mehmas {Ire}).

TDN Verdict: Unbeaten and unexposed, Remmooz warrants maximum respect from Owen Burrows who always knows his onions. Second to Henri Matisse in Leopardstown's G3 Ballylinch Stud Stakes in March, Comanche Brave is back to seven furlongs having run fifth in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and gets the Ryan Moore treatment whichis probably worth two or three pounds in itself this week. Joseph takes on Donnacha with Saracen, who was third in a hot renewal of the G3 Greenham Stakes in April and is another unknown quantity. [Tom Frary].

Saturday, Ascot, post time: 14:30, THE CHESHAM S.-L, £110,000, 2yo, Open, 7f 0y

Field: Brave Hunter (GB) (Universal {Ire}), Humidity (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), Tailgunner Joe (Knicks Go), Thesecretadversary (Ire) (St Mark's Basilica {Fr}), Treanmor (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Waterford Castle (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Zooter (GB) (Australia {GB}), Moments Of Joy (Justify), Venetian Lace (Ire).

TDN Verdict: TDN Rising Star Treanmor puts his reputation on the line, having impressed with everything he did on debut at Newmarket. Ballydoyle will have something to say on the matter, with the filly Moments Of Joy the chosen one having opened her account at Leopardstown, while Humidity looked a smart prospect on debut at Newbury and can only improve over another furlong. [Tom Frary].

Click here for the complete fields.

The post Black-Type Analysis: Zarigana Aiming For A Straightforward Coronation appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article