15:05 Royal Ascot
Friday 19 June 2026
All14:3015:0515:4016:2017:0017:3518:10
Commonwealth Cup (Group 1)
- 3YO only  |  Class 1  |  6f  |  Good to Firm  |  22 Runners  |  Turf  |   Weighed In
- Off time: 15:07Â Â |Â Â Winning time: 1m 12.08s
Cloth number
Odds
Star rating
Horse A-Z
Show odds
Well regarded colt who won both starts last spring, latterly a 6f Group 3 at the Curragh. Beaten favourite all 3 starts this season, though got back on track when a neck second of 10 to Song of The Clyde in listed race at Newbury (6f, good) 34 days ago. Another step forward will be needed here.
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Placed at listed level against fellow 3-y-os at York in May but had his limitations exposed when down the field in the King Charles III (5f) here on Tuesday in first-time visor, albeit meeting a little bit of trouble. Probably up against it again in this grade.
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Runner-up 3 times in pattern races last autumn but below the pick of his form this spring, most recently when 7¾ lengths fourth of 7 to Venetian Sun in Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock (6f, good to soft) 27 days ago. Cheekpieces go on.
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Highly progressive and exciting at 2, completing a hat-trick in the Norfolk at this meeting last year, beating Wise Approach. Picked up where he left off when winning 6f Navan listed race on return but clearly wasn't 100% at Naas last month. Remains with potential now blinkered.
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Third in the Middle Park last September before a 7-month break and then returned in top form when winning Group 3 Pavilion Stakes at this C&D, albeit with the benefit of a positional advantage over the placed pair. Clearly merits serious respect nonetheless.
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Won 3 times last year, including a listed race at York. Arguably shaped best when third to Coppull in the Pavilion Stakes at C&D on return, and although no match for Venetian Sun in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock since, his place claims are solid again.
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Won the Windsor Castle at this meeting last season before making the frame a couple of times at pattern level. Returned with a good 2¾ lengths third of 10 to Song of The Clyde in listed race at Newbury (6f, good) 34 days ago but difficult to see him making more of an impact up in grade.
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Has won all 4 starts since going down narrowly on debut, supplementing his win in a Chantilly listed event by scraping home in the 13-runner Prix Sigy (5.5f) there in April. Progressive, but this will require a lot more again.
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Won a valuable newcomers event at Deauville and looked progressive when successful in back-to-back conditions races in Meydan over the winter. Subsequently flying too high in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint in late-March and it could be a similar story here.
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American-trained colt has won 4 of his 6 starts, scoring at Turfway Park on comeback before improving further returned to turf to win a 7-runner listed race at Churchill Downs (5.5f) last month. Beaten on both tries in Group 1s, though. Tongue tie back on.
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Best effort last year when close second in the Gimcrack at York but that form hasn't really worked out and he was soundly beaten after behaving coltishly in the preliminaries in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock on return. Cheekpieces go on.
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Won all 3 starts following his debut in France last season, including a Group 3 and Group 2 at Chantilly. Runner-up in the Prix Djebel (7f) on return but bit below that level when failing to land the odds in the Prix Texanita back at Chantilly last time. Needs more to figure.
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Dual winner at 2 yrs and showed improved form and a good attitude when getting the better of Albert Einstein in a 6f Newbury listed race last month. Although this is tougher still, he's undoubtedly going the right way.
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Useful 2-y-o but well held in 6f Doncaster listed event on reappearance in March and only mid-field in a York handicap last weekend. Out of his depth here.
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Won 3 times in 2025, emulating his half-brother Perfect Power (also won this) in winning the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. Bit disappointing so far this season though, only fourth behind Song of The Clyde in a Newbury listed race last month, though a strong gallop here should prove beneficial.
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Made all when a useful winner of the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes at C&D last year but did too much too soon when fifth in the Nell Gwyn (7f) on reappearance. Return to sprinting may benefit on that evidence but she's surely biting off more than she can chew at this level.
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Won a maiden and listed race over 5f at Naas last summer. Better form when runner-up in the Group 1 Cheveley Park at Newmarket after and she didn't need to be at her best when taking the 8-runner Lacken Stakes at Naas (6f, good to soft) 33 days ago despite pulling hard. This race is deeper again.
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Three-time winner in France, including twice at listed level. Gave her running when ¾-length third of 7 to Dostoievsky in Prix Texanita at Chantilly (6f, soft) 31 days ago but she's consistent rather than progressive and looks up against on her first go in a Group 1.
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Failed to win from 5 starts in listed/Group 3 races after landing a Hamilton maiden last season but she produced a much improved effort on return by running Coppull to just a neck the Pavilion Stakes at this C&D last month. Still unexposed as a sprinter and she holds frame claims again.
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Ended her 2-y-o campaign with a 6f listed success and wasn't disgraced when mid-field in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on return. Gave her running when third of 7 to Venetian Sun in Sandy Lane Stakes (9/2) at Haydock (6f) last month but she's exposed as not quite up to this level by now.
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Won first 4 starts at 5f/6f, including the Albany at this meeting. Shaped well in the 1000 Guineas on return before her stamina gave way and looked a sprinter right out of the top drawer when the most-impressive winner of the Sandy Lane Stakes (6f) at Haydock last month. The one to beat.
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Won a 7f maiden at Newmarket on debut and much improved when winning a good renewal of the Rockfel Stakes (7f) on the Rowley Mile there on her final outing at 2 yrs. Didn't get home upped to 1m in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches on return and this enthusiastic sort looks worth a try as a sprinter.
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Forecasts
Venetian Sun (11/8), Albert Einstein (9/2), Division (8/1), Coppull (9/1), Charles Darwin (10/1), Wise Approach (14/1), Samangan (18/1), Outfielder (25/1), Havana Anna (28/1), Zanthos (28/1), Song of The Clyde (40/1), Spicy Marg (50/1), Fitzella (50/1), Aspect Island (50/1), Midnight Tango (50/1), Havana Hurricane (50/1), Brussels (66/1), Northern Champion (80/1), My Calyx Cen (80/1), Rock On Thunder (125/1), Kimi Rey (150/1), Super Soldier (250/1)
VENETIAN SUN looks a stand-out amongst the current crop of 3-y-o sprinters on the basis of her most impressive success at Haydock last month and she is fancied to gain a second Royal Ascot success. Charles Darwin, who also scored at this meeting last season, can't have been himself at Naas last time and is worth another chance, so makes the shortlist alongside Division and Coppull.
- Venetian Sun11/8
- Charles Darwin10/1
- Division8/1
Previous Winners
Prize Money
1st: £396,970.002nd: £150,500.003rd: £75,320.004th: £37,520.005th: £18,830.006th: £9,450.00
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