International Feel to This Year's Commonwealth Cup

The Commonwealth Cup (G1) had its inaugural year in 2015 and it has quickly become one of the most popular introductions to the Royal Ascot program. It has generally been dominated by British runners, but this year there is an international feel about the race.

Francois Rohaut saddles the unbeaten Suesa  and the French trainer bids for his first Royal Ascot victory. The closest he has come has been a third in the 2007 Queen Anne Stakes (G1) with Turtle Bowl and a third in the 2016 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (G1) with Signs of Blessing. Can he finally break through this year?

Rohaut has an enviable record with runners at Glorious Goodwood and in Suesa—the winner of two group 3s and unbeaten in four starts —the Pau-based trainer must have a fine chance of adding a Royal Ascot winner to his honors board.

"She stopped off in Chantilly with Rodolphe Collet and had a little blowout on Tuesday, which went fine," said Rohaut. "She hasn't had to fight really hard yet but you can only beat what's in front of you, and I don't doubt her competitive spirit.

"When she won the Prix Sigy (G3) it was pretty much good ground and I loved that performance. She really did something special there, so I don't agree with people who say Suesa wants soft ground. If it rains we know she handles it and some of the others might not."

Both Turtle Bowl and Signs of Blessing came into their royal engagements having achieved Racing Post Ratings of 117 and Suesa hasn't recorded anything better than 113. The average winner's RPR in this race is 119, so she needs to improve by six pounds to win a normal running.

American trainer Wesley Ward saddles Campanelle  and she has a one pound higher RPR than Suesa. That came against the boys when she won the Darley Prix Morny (G1) at Deauville in August and she is a course winner, having landed the Queen Mary Stakes (G2) against her own sex at this meeting a year ago.

Campanelle was a definite non-stayer when only fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf (G1T) at Keeneland in November, but this is a tough task on her return from a 224-day break.

"She's had a couple fast works here, both with Frankie," said Ward. "He was really happy with both workouts, especially when he got off the last one. She's the only one of all the horses I brought over I was not concerned with the ground. In fact, it might be a little bit of an advantage if it's a little wet."

Ward is best known for his success with juveniles at Royal Ascot, but it has actually been more profitable to follow his older horses. He is 3-18 with horses aged 3 or older at the fixture and that's a 17% strike-rate. A £1 bet on each has yielded a profit of £22.50.

Dragon Symbol  has had the sectional gurus purring, and he has been clocked recording a sub :11 furlong according to Racing TV's data. That suggests he is something special.

The heavy ground blunted his speed when he was beaten in the Casumo Sandy Lane Stakes (G2) at Haydock last month, but he still dug deep to lose out by just a nose and connections will be hoping that the monsoon-like forecast doesn't materialize. He acts on easy going, but is suited by quicker.

Supremacy  recorded an RPR of 118 when landing the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (G1) at Newmarket in September and that figure would have been good enough to win three of the last six runnings of this. The problem is that he was 24 pounds below that form on his reappearance here in April.

That was a major disappointment as he trailed in last of eight as a red-hot 10-11 favorite, but this wouldn't be the first time he has bounced back from a poor run to win a big one. Don't forget he was well beaten on his juvenile debut before becoming a top-class 2-year-old.

Clive Cox fits first-time blinkers and that's another positive. The trainer is 7-42 with runners wearing that headgear for the first time since the start of 2016 and that 17% strike-rate yielded a profit of £14.57 to £1 level stakes. Furthermore, that record improves to 20% (3-15) when considering only those who ran over shorter than seven furlongs for a bigger profit of £22.57.

Cox also runs Diligent Harry, but Adam Kirby prefers Supremacy despite having ridden the former on his last three starts.

"I'm very happy that Supremacy has put his Ascot defeat behind him," said Cox. "He definitely prefers summer ground and will be sporting a pair of blinkers as he's quite a lazy horse at home. It's a big step for Diligent Harry, but he's done plenty of work on grass so the turf won't be completely alien."