Irish superstar trainer Aidan O’Brien has prospects of yet another Royal Ascot Group 1 strike when Little Big Bear takes on twelve three-year-old speedsters in Friday’s (23 June) Commonwealth Cup over the straight 1200m course.
The Irishman’s Paddington romped to victory in Tuesday’s G1 St James’s Palace Stakes (1600m) and, with a 9lb edge on official ratings, Little Big Bear has hypothetically an even stronger chance on Friday.
With a reputation for blinding speed both at home and on the racecourse, the son of No Nay Never additionally already has Ascot winning experience having outrun 23 two-year-old rivals in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes (1000m) at this meeting last year.
His sole flop came in May’s 2000 Guineas when the temptation to try him over 1600m in the G1 Newmarket Classic proved mistaken. The stable’s Auguste Rodin was also humbled there but, rising in trip, he magnificently eradicated that memory when winning the G1 Derby Stakes (2405m) at Epsom while, by contrast, Little Big Bear dropped back to sprinting to convincingly land Haydock’s G2 Sandy Lane Stakes (1200m).
O’Brien says: “The Guineas was a non-event for Little Big Bear. We needed to get another run into him before Royal Ascot and at Haydock Frankie Dettori said ‘You’d know what had happened to him at Newmarket just by riding him.’ He was lacking in confidence but still ultimately won nicely and is all set for this big target now.”
A searing tempo is expected with Shaquille (Oisin Murphy) the most likely to play catch-me-if you can tactics. He has made giant strides in recent months and gained his fourth straight victory – delivering a career-best in the process – when quickening clear in the Listed Carnarvon Stakes (1200m) at Newbury 34 days before this G1 Royal Ascot challenge.
Well respected Irish trainer Jessica Harrington has already had a Royal Ascot winner this week and her candidate Ocean Quest (Colin Keane) looks sure to be popular. The filly pummeled her rivals on her 2023 return at Navan before appearing an unlucky loser in the Lacken Stakes (1186m) at Naas, only failing to grab that Group 3 prize by a head despite racing on the least favourable side of the track. The third home at Naas has enhanced the value of the form with a subsequent Group 3 victory.
Anticipated second favourite to Little Big Bear, however, is Roger Varian-trained, David Egan-ridden Sakheer who, though well ahead of Little Big Bear in the Guineas, also failed to thrive that day.
The return to sprinting and better ground should favour this son of Zoffany who had looked exciting when accelerating away from his rivals in last September’s G2 Mill Reef Stakes (1200m) at Newbury. Varian says: “The rain was against him at Newmarket as was the slow pace and the fact that he was drawn on the wrong side. He will be more comfortable dropping back to 1200m, and we are very happy with him.”
Friday’s other Group 1 is the Coronation Stakes (1594m) in which Dermot Weld-trained Chris Hayes-ridden Tahiyra has a clear-cut chance of building on her decisive victory over Meditate and Comhra in last month’s G1 Irish 1000 Guineas (1600m) at The Curragh. That pair reoppose ridden by Ryan Moore and William Buick, respectively.
Article: HKJC
