Limato seeks Commonwealth crown

Views from connections ahead of the inaugural running of the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Henry Candy expects fast ground to bring out the best in Limato in what is a fascinating inaugural running of the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Confined to three-year-olds only, the six-furlong Group One was devised to give burgeoning sprinters an opportunity to score at the highest level without having to take on their elders, which has proved tough for the generation in the past.

The race also gives top-class prospects with stamina limitations an alternative route to taking in one of the early-season Classics over a mile and on the evidence of the first renewal, it would have appear to have served its purpose as a thrilling contest is in prospect.

Limato is tailor-made for the prize, having won each of his four starts over the trip as a juvenile before a most impressive comeback victory over the course and distance in April.

He suffered the first defeat of his career in last month's Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock at the hands of the reopposing Adaay, but Candy believes the prospect of a a sounder surface gives his stable star every chance of getting back on the winning trail.

"He didn't run a bad race at all (at Haydock), but he wasn't quite himself and I put that down entirely to the ground. We walked the course before and my wife, Jenny, wasn't wearing very sharp heels but they were going in plenty far enough! It was definitely good to soft and quite sticky," Candy told At The Races.

"The faster the ground the better. He's one of those extraordinary horses that really wouldn't mind galloping on tarmac.

"One thing that does concern me is with the passage of time, some of these other colts are going to progress physically more than he is. He does look fairly insignificant, but the fact remains that on the evidence of his first run this year at Ascot and to a lesser degree at Haydock, he still has that amazing engine.

"He was more exuberant in his work last year as a two-year-old. He's a more mature creature now and is quite careful what he does."

The William Haggas-trained Adaay is one of two runners in the field for Sheikh Hamdan, with Charlie Hills confident about the chances of Muhaarar.

Last season's Gimcrack winner made a successful reappearance in the Greenham at Newbury and was far from disgraced when eighth in the French 2000 Guineas from a nightmare draw.

Hills, who also runs outsider Salt Island, said: "Muhaarar is probably my best chance of the week. He had almost no chance from stall 18 at Longchamp as he was stuck on the outside and was too keen, but he actually ran a very good race.

"He's a very good horse and he's a Group Two winner over six furlongs.

"It's a good race, but I'm as hopeful as I can be.

"Salt Island never seems to have much luck with the draw, but he's in good form and we've been waiting to get him on some fast ground for a while.

"The draw (stall one) makes things slightly tricky for him, but hopefully he'll run well."

Hootenanny provided American trainer Wesley Ward with another Royal winner in last season's Windsor Castle Stakes and he returns to Berkshire as a major contender.

Since his triumph of 12 months ago, the Coolmore-owned colt has won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and made a successful reappearance at Keeneland.

Ward said: "Since he won the Breeders' Cup last year, I've been pointing for this race. Of all of them that I brought over last year he thrived, he took it in his stride and took everything right.

"He's trained forwardly since, he's had only one start since he won the Breeders' Cup when he won at Keeneland in preparation for this.

"He's had plenty of time to get ready and every workout in the mornings has been better than the last so I'm really looking forward to it."

Last year's Queen Mary heroine Anthem Alexander is also bidding for her second Royal Ascot victory.

The daughter of Starspangledbanner made a successful return to action at Naas at the start of the month and trainer Eddie Lynam is expecting her to improve significantly for the run.

He said: "She came out of the race very good. I'm very happy with her.

"The soft ground was not ideal at Naas and that was nothing like her best form, but my horses usually improve for a run. I definitely expect improvement from her and fast ground would be in her favour.

"She's the guts of 500 kilos and a very big, strong filly. She's taken everything in her stride.

"I was never tempted to try stepping her up to mile and, given that we preferred to stay at home in Ireland for her first start of the campaign, the Naas race was the first opportunity over six furlongs that was available to her.

"She's a great mind, which is a big help to those sprinters and we think an awful lot of her. She's already won both a Group Three and a Group Two and we are very hopeful that she will make up into a Group One sprinter.

"I'm looking forward to running in her in what looks as though it's going to be a very competitive race."

Tiggy Wiggy was runner-up to Anthem Alexander in the Queen Mary 12 months ago before turning the tables in the Lowther at York and the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.

She was third in last month's 1000 Guineas and now reverts to sprinting.

Trainer Richard Hannon said: "We are looking forward to running Tiggy Wiggy in the Commonwealth Cup. This new race has always been her prime target and, though she ran an absolute blinder in the 1000 Guineas, it was only her class and courage which enabled her to finish third.

"We had nothing to lose by trying the mile, but sprinting is her forte and dropping back to six furlongs will suit her well. She looks a million dollars - you would not think she is the same filly from last season - and, though it is a very hot race, I would not swap ours for anything."