Little Big Bear an Overwhelming Choice in Commonwealth

Six years is a long time to wait for a second success in the Commonwealth Cup (G1) when you are Aidan O'Brien, and he is certainly due. It was back in 2017 that Caravaggio  landed this relatively new contest for Ballydoyle. None of his 10 horses to take part since even reached a place, including three favorites.

Yet that will not stop Little Big Bear  from going off at short odds in the June 23 Commonwealth—and no wonder. What price would you lay about a colt who was European champion 2-year-old in 2022, thanks to a seven-length romp in the Phoenix Stakes (G1) at the Curragh?

How keen would you be to oppose a colt who bounced back from a modest effort over a trip too far in the Two Thousand Guineas (G1) by scoring a success on his return to sprinting in the Sandy Lane Stakes (G2) at Haydock, where subsequent King's Stand (G1) winner Bradsell  was well adrift in third?

"We were delighted with him at Haydock," O'Brien said of Little Big Bear. "We knew we had to get a run into him in a sprint before coming here. We didn't want to go straight from the Guineas over a mile on soft ground to the Commonwealth Cup over six furlongs.

"Frankie (Dettori) was over the moon with him at Haydock. We felt we had to give him a chance over a mile in the Guineas but he always looked like a big, powerful sprinter. He's been in very good form since Haydock and everyone is happy with him."

Frankie Relies on an Old Friend

Dettori is the only jockey to have won the Commonwealth Cup more than once, and he will be keen to ensure that record lasts a little longer into his retirement by taking it a third time Friday.

He turns to an old friend as he aims to add to his wins on Advertise (2019) and Campanelle (2021) as he gets back on board Lezoo .

She was the filly who came good for him last summer by winning a listed race at Newmarket when her jockey was at the center of a huge media scrum after his public fallout with John Gosden.

Lezoo went on to land the Princess Margaret Stakes (G3) at Ascot and the Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) at Newmarket (when Dettori was suspended). She seemed not to see out the mile on her return to Newmarket for the One Thousand Guineas (G1) last month.

She reverts to six furlongs now, and trainer Ralph Beckett said: "She's in good shape. I'm very happy with the way she is training and she has done well since not getting the trip at Newmarket."

'Gradually progressive' Shaquille Bids for Group 1 Success For Improving Yard

It is a toss-up which is the more progressive: Julie Camacho and Steve Brown or the exciting sprinter they send down from Malton in search of their first group 1 success.

The husband-and-wife training partnership smashed their personal best with 47 winners last season and have stepped up to another level with some expensively acquired talent in their current string of 60.

But Shaquille  is very much on the up, too. Having won three from four last season, he was a hugely impressive winner in handicap company on his reappearance at Newmarket last month and made light of a step up to listed class by scoring just as easily at Newbury a fortnight later.

Brown is realistic in his assessment of the size of the task their colt faces as he moves up another grade here. "It's what you'd expect in a group 1 at Royal Ascot, it brings together the best around," he said. "Those ahead of us in the betting have better form than us but our horse has been gradually progressive and we hope he can keep sliding up the scale.

"It was quite a taking performance at Newbury, he settled a little better in front, he got into a nice rhythm, and kept finding. I don't think we've got to the bottom of him, but whether he can improve again to win a Commonwealth Cup we'll see on Friday."