Horse racing betting: Keep it Quiet in the Commonwealth Cup
They may be outnumbered in Friday afternoon’s Commonwealth Cup (3.40pm), but I’m backing a filly to come out on top in the battle of the three-year-old sprinters.
Only three fillies stand their ground against nine colts in the second running of one of the feature races on the penultimate day of Royal Ascot.
However, in Karl Burke’s QUIET REFLECTION they hold the ace in the pack and she is a confident selection to follow up her recent Haydock success at 2/1 with Betway.
She travelled with consummate ease that day and quickened up in the style of a Group One winner waiting to happen.
While plenty of the others have questions to answer over their ability to handle the rain-softened ground, the daughter of Showcasing has already proved she handles extreme conditions.
The ground was heavy in Chantilly when she won the Group Three Prix Sigy on her reappearance and that didn’t seem to blunt her speed.
Her biggest danger could well be Donjuan Triumphant who chased her home at Haydock.
Richard Fahey’s colt couldn’t match her acceleration, but the softer surface is likely to bring them a little closer together.
He showed he’s a real class act on bad ground when bolting up in France at the back end of last season and will push my selection all the way to the line.
Log Out Island was impressive at Newbury last time, but the suspicion is he may have nicked that race from the front and the recent rain won’t help his forceful tactics.
Washington DC represents the all-powerful Coolmore team and did win at this meeting 12 months ago.
However, he is another one unlikely to be suited by the recent deluge.
The afternoon’s action kicks-off with the Albany Stakes (2.30pm) and it’s clear to see why the Aidan O’Brien-trained Cuff heads the betting at a best-priced 11/4 with Coral.
She seems to be improving with every start and leapt to the head of ante-post lists for this race with an impressive performance in a Listed contest at Naas last time.
It was the way she quickened away from her rivals for a cosy three length win that lingers in the memory and that form is working out well.
The runner-up wasn’t beaten far here on Tuesday when fifth in the Windsor Castle and the fifth and sixth have both been out and won since.
The concern is the going as she didn’t seem in love with conditions like this on her debut and her mother didn’t enjoy too much cut in the ground either.
At the prices I’d rather take her on with the Richard Fahey-trained QUEEN KINDLY at 7/1 with Star Sports.
The daughter of the mighty Frankel, who has made a stunning start to his stallion career, ran out an emphatic winner of a fast ground maiden at Catterick a few weeks ago.
This will require much more, but her mother Lady Of The Desert handled bad ground well and she looks the one most likely to give the favourite most to do.
Betway are refunding bets if your horse finishes second in this race.
FRIDAY POINTERS
Queen Kindly e/w, 2.30pm, Royal Ascot
Quiet Reflection, 3.40pm, Royal Ascot