Commonwealth Cup (Group 1)

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Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun proved herself a sprinter; she won her first four last year, one at 5f and three at 6f. She beat Gstaad in the Prix Morny. When upped in trip to 7f, she could only manage third to Precise in the Moyglare Stakes. Karl let her take her chance over 1m in the 1000 Guineas; she finished eleventh.

Back to sprinting, she hacked in the 6f Sandy Lane Stakes, beating Willie Haggas reopposing Division 3L. The latter had won three on the bounce last year and had only been beaten ½L in third in the Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes here in May. Clive Cox’s Coppull won it by a neck from Ed Walker’s Midnight Tango.

Aidan O’Brien has described Albert Einstein as the quickest horse ever to enter Ballydoyle. A pair of runs last year added substance to that, and he looked a horse with some real ability when winning the Marble Hill last May at the Curragh, his final run of 2025.

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Like Venetian Sun, Aidan planned out a campaign to stretch him to win the 2000 Guineas. After such a long layoff, he needed to run him early. He went off favourite in the 7f Gladness Stakes on heavy ground and didn’t travel a yard; it was a disastrous start. Next, he went to the Greenham Stakes at Newbury, again over 7f where he ran better but could only manage third. The Guineas plan was abandoned, and the sprinting campaign began, back at Newbury, he ran second to Clive Cox’s Song Of The Clyde with Eve Johnson Houghton’s Havana Hurricane filling third in the 6f Carnarvon Stakes. 

Ballydoyle are also represented by Charles Darwin and Brussels

Charles Darwin won the Norfolk Stakes here last year, beating Charlie Appleby’s Wise Approach. He was not seen again until Navan this year, where he won a Listed contest. He went to the Lackan Stakes at Naas, where he had to be pulled up, losing his action mid-race. Donnacha O’Brien’s Havana Anna won it, fulfilling the potential she’d shown when running second to True Love in the Cheveley Park Stakes last year.

Brussels put in three cracking performances last year, culminating in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, albeit running second. This year, he’s run poorly twice.

Three French horses cross the channel. Francis Henri Gaffard sends two, Samangan and Kimi Rey, with Patrik Olave Valdivielso sending My Calyx Cen. The latter beat the former in April in the Prix Sigy over 5f, but could only manage third in the Prix Texanita over 6f. Samangan finished a disappointing fourth. He was a very good two-year-old, winning the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte.

American interest comes via Wesley Ward’s Outfielder. It’s not his first trip to Europe; he ran in the Prix Morny last year when well behind Venetian Sun. He’s prepped for this with two conditions race wins in the US. Wesley won this in 2021. 

Conslusion

There seems to be a considerable draw bias favouring those drawn high this week in the races up to 7f. A golden highway seems to have developed up the stands’ side. Overnight watering may even it out; however, it might not. The race before, The Albany over 6f should let us know.

The short-priced favourite is Venetian Sun, she’s drawn 13. Albert Einstein, next in the market, is drawn 11. Coppull is drawn 14. Wise Approach is next door in 15. Charles Darwin breaks from 20, Outfielder is wider in 21.

Outfielder will break like a bullet. The pace will be on the stands’ side, up the golden highway. Charles Darwin can pick it up when he falls away. Venetian Sun will come late with Albert Einstein in tow. Pegging back Charles Darwin might be too much for both of them.

Recommendation

Charles Darwin 14/1 ew

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