Commonwealth Cup: get the inside track from connections

Karl Burke is confident Venetian Sun can follow in the hoofprints of Quiet Reflection in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Burke enjoyed a fruitful three-year-old campaign with Quiet Reflection in 2016 as she won the Group Three Prix Sigy in France and the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock before delivering the Spigot Lodge handler with his first Royal Ascot winner in this Group One contest.

She would later added a second top-level prize to her tally in the Sprint Cup at Haydock that September and was later sold and retired from broodmare duties, going on to produce a multiple Group One winner in Aidan O’Brien’s Lake Victoria.

Burke had Classic aspirations for Venetian Sun at the start of the year, but with her stamina limitations exposed in the 1000 Guineas, she successfully dropped back to six furlongs in the Sandy Lane and will be a hot favourite to follow up on the penultimate afternoon of the Royal meeting.

“She’s a very good filly. I didn’t think she was guaranteed to stay the mile, I thought she had a chance because she was so relaxed and so laid-back, but it didn’t quite work out,” said Burke.

“Dropping back to six furlongs she put up a stunning performance at Haydock and she’s come out of it really well.

“Quiet Reflection won two Group One sprints as a three-year-old and I don’t see any reason why Venetian Sun can’t do the same.”

The William Haggas-trained Division was three lengths adrift of Venetian Sun at Haydock and connections hope the stiffer nature of the Ascot track can help him close the gap.

Richard Brown, racing adviser to owners Wathnan Racing, said: “I think he’s a real sleeper and has a big chance. He’s got a bit to do to turn it around with Karl’s filly, but we have a lot of faith in him and think he’s very talented.

“I’m sure he’s going to run a massive race – whether he can turn the form around with Venetian Sun, I don’t really know, but that’s the great thing about racing.

“I think Ascot will suit him and he ran exceptionally well there on trials day. He was doing all his best work late and I think he’ll run better than his odds.”

Aidan O’Brien saddles the much-vaunted Albert Einstein, as well as Charles Darwin and Brussels, while his son Donnacha has a major contender in the form of Lacken Stakes winner Havana Anna.

The daughter of Havana Grey ran out a narrow winner of the Group Three at Naas and O’Brien said everything has gone smoothly since.

“Havana Anna is in good form and everything has gone according to plan so I think she goes there with a live chance,” said the trainer.

Clive Cox has high hopes for Royal Ascot Trials Day winner Coppull and his stablemate Song Of The Clyde, who beat Albert Einstein by a neck in last month’s Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury.

Other contenders include Wesley Ward’s American raider Outfielder and Francis-Henri Graffard’s French challenger Samangan, who is expected to raise his game after a couple of below-par efforts so far this year.

Nemone Routh, manager for the Aga Khan Studs in France, said: “He’s disappointed us slightly in his first two runs this year. We think he was a bit under the weather first time out – there was a very mild virus going through the yard and I think he was slightly affected it by it – and then last time out he was just coming back to hand and didn’t really like the soft ground.

“He was ridden really positively that day as well, which he hasn’t really been before, so I think the two combined explains why he didn’t run his race.

“He’s been working very well at home – much better than he was earlier in the year – which is why we’re bringing him to this race.

“Obviously he’s got to take a big step forward on what he’s done this year and we’d be more hopeful than confident with him, but he’s going to get his ground and he’s shown us in the morning that he’s going the right way.”