Mojo to emerge from the Shadows in Commonwealth Cup
FRIDAY’s Royal Ascot card is headlined by two Group One contests, and the first of them is the Commonwealth Cup (3.05pm).
This is a relatively new addition to the list of top tier races at the Royal Meeting, being introduced in 2015.
At that stage Mick Appleby was just establishing himself as a name and since then the Rutland-based handler has become known as a leading trainer of sprinters in particular.
In 2023 Appleby landed his first Royal Ascot winner when Big Evs won the Windsor Castle and later that season he went on to notch a first Grade One for the stable in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita.
There’s a certain symmetry to this race in the fact BIG MOJO lines up in the Big Evs colours and was a good fourth in the same Breeders’ Cup race in November.
Big Mojo returned with a win in the Commonwealth Cup Trial at Ascot in April, proving that he handled the step up to this stiff six furlongs.
The Sandy Lane at Haydock didn’t go to plan last time out as he was caught behind a wall of horses and the gaps closed just as he was looking to quicken up passing the two-furlong marker.
With a stronger pace likely, this race should set up better, and with him now as short as 12/1 in places, hopefully regular readers took the ante-post 20/1 advised last week.
World Pool is once again in action and there could be a big payout in store if we can nail the Quinella, so I’m keen to combine Big Mojo with another two horses in the hope of predicting the first two home.
In truth Godolphin runner SHADOW OF LIGHT will be mighty hard to beat if running to his best form.
He was perhaps the leading juvenile last season, landing the Middle Park Stakes in impressive style over six furlongs and then stepping up to seven to take the Dewhurst.
A mile in the 2000 Guineas proved a step too far, but he still ran with huge credit to be beaten only a length in third behind top-class prospects Ruling Court and Field Of Gold.
That’s by some way the best form in the race and with the step back to a sprint trip set to suit him, he will take the beating.
To complete the Quinella, add Aidan O’Brien’s IDES OF MARCH, who has run two fine races in defeat this season and looks set to go well again.
POINTERS FRIDAY
Shadow Of Light, Ides Of March, Big Mojo
(Quinella) 3.05pm Royal Ascot
Already Advised
Big Mojo e/w 20/1 3.05pm Royal Ascot