Thursday 22 June 2023 10:51, UK
Little Big Bear can oblige favourite-backers in the Commonwealth Cup, one of two Group One highlights on day four at Royal Ascot.
Aidan O'Brien's charge ended last year as the top-rated European juvenile after four victories, culminating in a seven-length demolition job in the Phoenix Stakes. That ended up being his final run of the campaign after a setback and it was hard to predict how he would fare on his reappearance in the 2000 Guineas, with O'Brien admitting the son of No Nay Never was far from certain to stay a mile. As it transpired, Little Big Bear gave himself no chance of staying by taking a keen grip early on testing ground, eventually coming home last of the 15 runners on the Rowley Mile in what was an unenjoyable experience all round.
Not for the first time though, O'Brien weaved his magic and a different horse turned up for the Sandy Lane at Haydock, where he came home a cosy length-and-a-quarter victor over Shouldvebeenaring, with the return to six furlongs looking right up his street. Bradsell was beaten eight lengths in third in that, when he perhaps found the distance a stretch, and he gave the form a huge boost in winning Tuesday's King's Stand. Tahiyra will be a very skinny price in the Coronation Stakes, particularly as her anticipated main rival Mawj misses out after a setback. She was beaten half a length in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket but went one place better in the Irish version when holding off the reopposing Meditate by a length and a half. The only slight concern would be that she has yet to run on ground quicker than good, but Dermot Weld would surely not risk a filly of this calibre if he thought conditions were not suitable.
Navassa Island came within a neck of Group Three glory on her first start and a similar effort could be good enough in the Albany Stakes. Her Naas conqueror Porta Fortuna is in the line-up once again, but Navassa Island can certainly turn that form around as she was hampered in her run last month before making up ground at the finish. A half-sister to Lezoo, Michael O'Callaghan's filly looks a very smart type. The King Edward VII Stakes is an interesting rematch between the Derby second King Of Steel and unplaced runners Artistic Star, Dubai Mile and Arrest, with the first-named the obvious pick following his excellent performance at Epsom. Wind surgery and a gelding operation over the winter seemingly had the desired effect on Aimeric judged on his comeback victory at Doncaster earlier this month.
The four-year-old has some useful bits of form to his name in his seven career starts to date, beating a Listed winner in El Habeeb last term before holding off Apparate in game style on Town Moor after a less than ideal passage. The handicapper raised Roger Varian's charge 4lb for that success but he could still have something to give in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes. Harry Brown can make his mark in the Palace of Holyrood House Stakes, while Magical Sunset can go well at a generous price in the Sandringham Stakes.
SELECTIONS: ROYAL ASCOT: 2.30 Navassa Island, 3.05 LITTLE BIG BEAR (NAP), 3.40 Aimeric, 4.20 Tahiyra, 5.00 Magical Sunset, 5.35 King Of Steel, 6.10 Harry Brown.
DOWN ROYAL: 4.50 Gunzburg, 5.25 Sneddy Eddie, 6.00 Arnhem, 6.35 Screen Siren, 7.10 Wordsworth, 7.45 Look At The Stars, 8.15 Swiss Army Officer.
GOODWOOD: 5.12 Sennockian, 5.47 Alba Longa, 6.22 Andaleep, 6.55 Estate, 7.30 Art De Vivre, 8.05 Acotango.
LIMERICK: 5.08 Yester, 5.40 First Gentleman, 6.15 I'm Ghosted, 6.45 Amemri, 7.20 Ottilien, 7.55 Fond Farewell, 8.30 The Jam Man.
MARKET RASEN: 1.35 Top Man, 2.10 Green Or Black, 2.45 Ballylinch, 3.20 Black Lightning, 3.55 Jemima P, 4.30 Izzy's Champion, 5.05 Mr Zippi.
NEWMARKET: 5.20 Dashing Dick, 5.55 Giudecca, 6.30 Seendid, 7.05 Golspie, 7.40 Macho Sun, 8.10 Via Corone, 8.45 Mary Of Modena.
MUSSELBURGH: 5.30 How Bizarre, 6.05 Agnes Grey, 6.40 Simple Star, 7.15 Sugar Baby, 7.50 Latin Five, 8.25 Hills Of Gold, 9.00 Monhammer.
REDCAR: 1.20 Sometimes A Lady, 1.50 Coaxing, 2.20 Like A Lion, 2.55 Rockonmecca, 3.30 Wild Side, 4.05 Iron Lion, 4.45 In The Trenches, 5.16 Cinque Verde. DOUBLE: Little Big Bear and Navassa Island.
