Commonwealth Cup receives another form boost and classy Melbourne Cup contender emerges

Godolphin colt should take all the beating at York

Official ratings suggested Wise Approach was entitled to win the Listed Rose Bowl Stakes at Newbury on Friday, but the manner of his success marked him out as one of the smartest juveniles in Britain.

Charlie Appleby has been keen to gain plenty of experience with the scopey son of Mehmas, who has run four times in less than three months having made his debut at Ascot at the end of April, and Wise Approach is improving with every outing.

Wise Approach fared best of those drawn low and away from the winner Charles Darwin in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot last month and he may well be more effective over six furlongs. His Rose Bowl success certainly left that impression. 

Wise Approach: smart two-year-old for GodolphinCredit: Edward Whitaker

William Buick's mount travelled so sweetly and there was no doubt about the result once he was asked to quicken with a furlong to run. The response was instant and the winning margin was four lengths.

The Gimcrack, a race in which Appleby saddled the runner-up and subsequent dual Group 1 scorer Shadow Of Light last year, looks the obvious port of call and he should be hard to beat on the Knavesmire on August 22.
Jack Haynes

A red-hot Royal Ascot formline

Arizona Blaze ran out a decisive winner of the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday and, in doing so, gave another boost to the Commonwealth Cup form.

The Adrian Murray-trained colt had finished a neck runner-up behind Time For Sandals in the 6f Group 1 and Sayidah Dariyan, a length and a half back in fourth, did her bit for the form when running out a ready winner of a York Group 3 this month.

Big Mojo endured a troubled run when seventh at Ascot and put that effort behind him with a close second in the July Cup next time.

Arizona Blaze: landed the Sapphire StakesCredit: Patrick McCann

With the Commonwealth Cup form looking red-hot, it will be fascinating to see where the third-placed Rayevka turns up next.

The Francis Graffard-trained filly took a keen hold after being dropped right out in the early stages of the race and made her challenge closest to the stands’ side rail, which may have put her at a disadvantage.

She handles softer ground and the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville on August 10 looks a likely target. Longer term, a return to Ascot for the British Champions Sprint could be on the cards.
Joe Eccles

A potential class act in the Melbourne Cup

There is just shy of four months to the Lexus Melbourne Cup but Australia's most famous race could have a fascinating Irish contender in Al Riffa following his victory in the Curragh Cup on Saturday.

The dual Group 1 winner proved his stamina for 1m6f with a ready five-length success over the three-year-old Shackleton under Dylan Browne McMonagle and connections made their long-term intentions clear.

Kevin Blake, who was representing Joseph O'Brien at the track, said: "He was very relaxed and Dylan said he was a very easy ride over that trip. It's more likely he'll go straight to the Irish Leger and the Melbourne Cup is in the mind thereafter. We all know what comes with that but it's what we'd like to do, if we're allowed."

Veterinary protocols have put off British and Irish connections from targeting the race in recent years, with several horses ruled out in the lead-up having travelled to Victoria, but it is encouraging that O'Brien, who struck with Rekindling in 2017 and Twilight Payment in 2020, remains open to having another crack.

Al Riffa finished second to City Of Troy in last season's Coral-Eclipse and filled the same spot behind King George candidate Rebel's Romance in the Hardwicke at Royal Ascot last month. He could end up a good deal shorter than ante-post Melbourne Cup odds of 16-1.
Jack Haynes

Read these next:

Al Riffa could be handed Melbourne Cup option - plus Royal Ascot star True Love follows up with five-length thrashing of colts 

Billy Loughnane eyeing another 100 winners after becoming the first jockey in Britain to reach century mark this year 

90-year-old Dudley Moffat celebrates landmark birthday with a double at his local track 

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