Commonwealth Cup (Group 1)

THE Group 1 Commonwealth Cup was the highlight of yesterday’s card, and it produced a fine battle between a pair of 5/1 shots, Clive Cox’s Golden Horde under Adam Kirby, and Wesley Ward’s Kimari, the mount of Frankie Dettori, in a race which involved just that pair at the business end.

Golden Horde proved the stronger in the final furlong, pulling clear on the stands’ rail to win by one and a half lengths, with third place filled by Richard Fahey’s Ventura Rebel (Tony Hamilton), some four lengths behind the winner.

The high numbers dominated this race completely, with only Jessica Harrington’s Millisle (fifth) of the first eight home to come from a single-figure stall. That filly is worth marking up considerably as a result.

Race favourite Lope Y Fernandez was well beaten, this race possibly coming too quick after the Irish 2000 Guineas in which he’d finished third, but the way the race panned out, it would have been almost impossible for him to have overcome stall one. Southern Hills ended up faring best of Aidan O’Brien’s quartet in seventh.

Ground conditions

Roger Varian’s well-fancied Pierre Lapin had questions to answer about his ability to handle the ground, and they proved well founded, with the Mill Reef winner virtually pulled up. Mums Tipple, so impressive on fast ground at York last August, was bitterly disappointing for the third straight run, finishing one place ahead of the Varian runner.

Golden Horde was one of last season’s best and most consistent juveniles at this six-furlong trip, winning the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood, and finishing third behind Earthlight in the Prix Morny, and second to that rival in the Middle Park, beaten just a neck. He always possessed scope to do better as a three-year-old, but no doubt Clive Cox was delighted to see him confirm that notion in such an emphatic manner.

Kimari was continuing a frustrating week for Wesley Ward having taken a false step out of the stalls, and although she soon recovered, giving first run to a horse like Golden Horde did not enhance her prospects of winning.

She was denied by just a head after making almost all the running in the Queen Mary last year, and deserves more for her efforts all told. Hopefully we will see her again, as she is a thoroughly likeable filly.