Ten Sovereigns has chance to prove he is the real deal in Commonwealth Cup

Commonwealth Cup
3.40 Ascot (Group 1) | 6f | 3yo | ITV/SSR

The wait is over. It is time to find out just how good Ten Sovereigns is. The mile experiment in the 2,000 Guineas did not work but sprinting was always going to be his preferred pastime and it will be fascinating to find out how fast he actually is.

An explosive winning debut by seven lengths in a Curragh maiden was followed by a Group 3 success over the same trip at the same track the following week. Later in September he jousted with Jash in the Middle Park and came out on top. He was a wonderful juvenile and ended his two-year-old campaign unbeaten. But so too did Too Darn Hot.

Was it stamina that beat Ten Sovereigns at Newmarket or has the transition from two to three not been as seamless as connections would have hoped? We will all find out by quarter to four. With no Calyx or Lady Kaya in the line-up, anything other than victory will be a bitter disappointment for a horse with such a tall reputation.

"He seems to be in very good form and everything has gone well since Newmarket in the lead-up to this race," said Aidan O'Brien.

The trainer added: "Hopefully the ground will continue to dry out as the quicker it is, the better that would suit him. We feel this sort of trip will suit better than the mile at Newmarket and everything seems good with him."

Has Jash caught up with Sovereigns?

September seems like a long time ago so Jash has had a long time to improve past Ten Sovereigns, the horse who mastered him by half-a-length in the Middle Park.

Like Ten Sovereigns, Jash was tried over further on his first start at three. He won over seven furlongs at Newmarket, but Simon Crisford has come to the conclusion that sprinting is his game and it is hard to disagree. He's got bundles of pace.

Crisford is convinced you will see a different horse to the one who scrambled home at Newmarket.

"He’s done nothing but please since his win at Newmarket. He took a long time to come to hand in the spring, but is now giving us the same feel as he did going into the Middle Park in which he finished second to Ten Sovereigns," Crisford said.

Will Hello wave goodbye to rivals again?

He has already played the role of party pooper at Haydock, lowering the colours of 2-13 favourite Calyx in the Sandy Lane Stakes, and now Hello Youmzain will try to burst the bubble of Ten Sovereigns.

It has since transpired Calyx suffered a pastern injury at Haydock but, even still, it was hard not to be impressed with the way Hello Youmzain waved goodbye to his three rivals. He is now rated 113 and we know he copes with cut in the ground so everything appears in place for another bold showing.

"He’s done well since his Haydock victory and has won with cut in the ground so there are no worries about conditions. He’s on the upgrade and will run a big race," said Adam Ryan, assistant to his father Kevin.

Kevin Stott and Hello Youmzain after winning the Group 2 Criterium de Maisons-LaffitteCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

Has Hills unearthed another sprinting sensation?

Not since finding Calyx too hot to handle on debut has Khaadem been beaten.

Since then he is three from three with wins at Newmarket, Doncaster and Newbury. His latest success at Listed level was very easy on the eye, certainly more authoritative than the winning margin of half-a-length, and his trainer Charlie Hills is expecting big things.

Hills said: "I am really looking forward to running him. The ground should be fine, and I’m sure he’s going to run a big race."

Khaadem blazes home at DoncasterCredit: Edward Whitaker

Is Advertise the forgotten horse?

Advertise is already a Group 1 winner, having plundered the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh last August, and has the services of Frankie Dettori, so why is he a double-figure price?

Perhaps it is down to a poor show in the 2,000 Guineas where he was only 15th of 19 behind Magna Grecia, but Martyn Meade believes that was just an off day and you will see a much-improved display this time around over a more suitable trip.

Meade said: "He's raring to go. He just wasn't himself at Newmarket at all. We ran in the Guineas to see whether he would get the mile or not and we never really found out, it wasn't him. We are back down to six furlongs and he seems to be in very good form. I'm very happy with him."

What they say

Aidan Fogarty, trainer of Forever In Dreams
It's all systems go and she travelled over very well. We think she has improved again since Haydock and we are hopeful of a big run.

Ed Walker, trainer of Royal Intervention
I know she is a big price but I do think she will run well. It is a very fast six at Haydock and I think Ascot will suit her better. It would be great if we could get some Group 1 black type for her as she is a very well-bred filly.

Spotlight verdict

It's the fifth running of the Commonwealth Cup and the smallest field yet, with Calyx a notable absentee, but still a good race that features two Group 1 winners in Advertise and Ten Sovereigns. They revert to sprinting after coming up short in the 2,000 Guineas over 1m but Advertise ran poorly in the Classic, whereas Ten Sovereigns did okay over a trip that probably stretched him and he looks set to run a big race now, for connections who won this race two years ago. Hello Youmzain could be the main danger, having won a 6f Group 2 in France last season and another at Haydock last month from the injured Calyx. The sometimes hot-headed but talented Khaadem is also of some interest.

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