Our form expert has four selections for the fourth day of Royal Ascot 2025 on Friday featuring the Commonwealth Cup.
The Verdict: Friday June 20
1pt win Gold Digger in 2.30 Royal Ascot at 10/1 (Paddy Power)
1pt win Ides Of March in 3.05 Royal Ascot at 14/1 (William Hill, 888sport)
1pt e.w Naqeeb in 3.40 Royal Ascot at 25/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes 1/5 1,2,3,4,5)
1pt e.w Miss Nightfall in 5.00 Royal Ascot at 16/1 (bet365 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6)
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On the March in the Commonwealth
It could be Owen Burrows’ turn to join the Royal Ascot party on Friday as his supplemented Falakeyah bids for Group 1 glory on just her third start in the Coronation Stakes.
The daughter of New Bay could hardly have been any more impressive when running away with the Pretty Polly at Newmarket last time and given the zest she went with over 10 furlongs there’s every chance she has the gears for this mile contest.
All of her potential is factored into her price, but it wouldn’t surprise me if she blew these rivals away as I’m not convinced the various strands of Guineas form are worth much without Desert Flower and Lake Victoria turning up.
It’s not the only Group 1 on the card with the Commonwealth Cup attracting a large field of 22, the joint-largest in the history of the race after Eqtidaar beat 21 rivals back in 2018.
Like that year, there’s no standout three-year-old sprinter to scare them off at this stage and the market is dominated by horses bred for further.
Both Shadow Of Light and Jonquil are sons of Lope De Vega reverting from a mile after being placed in the English and French 2000 Guineas respectively, and while they have the class whether they have the boot is another matter.
Babouche is the shortest-priced filly in the race after beating Whistlejacket last time but I still worry about her settling when you’re dealing with prices like 9/2 in this company.
Whistlejacket himself is a bit in and out and might be better on easier ground, but I do like the look of his stablemate IDES OF MARCH who represents a good bet at 12/1.
I think the son of Wootton Bassett is going to take off at some stage this year as he looks to be getting better with experience and faster conditions at Ascot could be just what he needs to announce himself.
He bounced off fast ground to win his Curragh maiden at two, thrashing his stablemate Monumental who ran some good races in Group company further on in the campaign.
After that he landed the Round Tower Stakes, a race Aidan O’Brien also used to bring along top sprinters like U S Navy Flag and Ten Sovereigns, while there was nothing wrong with his Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint seventh considering he suffered a wide trip over the five furlongs.
That was all good experience for this year and on his return he travelled like a better sprinter than Whistlejacket in the Committed Stakes on soft ground that wouldn’t be his bag.
Then last time in the Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury he was slowly away and poorly positioned on the far side, doing well to get as close as he did in second having being forced to make a big move from last position two furlongs out just to get in contention.
The aforementioned Eqtidaar and Shaquille have come out of the Carnarvon to win this race in recent years and I like Ides Of March from stall 22 on the stands’ side with Arizona Blaze likely to tow him along from 20.
The Verdict: Back IDES OF MARCH in the 3.05 Royal Ascot
Yeah, she’s a triflin’ friend indeed
I’ve probably backed a couple too many two-year-olds this week but I’ve got to get on GOLD DIGGER in the Group 3 Albany Stakes over six furlongs for Richard Spencer.
This 260,000 guineas breeze-up purchase made her debut in a hot maiden at Yarmouth last month and she won very cosily indeed despite being slowly away, showing plenty of pace to get the job done.
The third, fourth and seventh have all won subsequently and this pacy daughter of Starman might just have too many gears for the more stoutly-bred fillies.
The likelihood is they’ll go quick here and that will surely suit this strong traveller who will probably be eased into contention from the rear by Jamie Spencer, who is drawn well in 14 towards the stands’ side.
The Verdict: Back GOLD DIGGER in the 2.30 Royal Ascot
Naqeeb appeals in Duke Of Edinburgh
Julie Camacho’s NAQEEB has been bubbling away as a project all season and he might well come good in the Duke Of Edinburgh.
The son of Nathaniel remains unexposed over a mile and a half for all that’s the distance he has run over twice for his new yard this season after being bought out of William Haggas’.
He pulled way too hard on his seasonal return at York but still ran well behind Almosh’her, well fancied for this, in sixth and he came on for that run when settling better and travelling with menace at Haydock.
Beaten just over three lengths at the line by Stressfree, he gets a 5lb pull with that rival here and a strong gallop around Ascot promises to suit him much better.
Indeed, the York and Haydock races weren’t particularly run to suit, but this looks likely to be and if Ryan Sexton rides him for luck he could be a danger to all in the straight granted a decent passage.
All of his family tend to go well at Ascot, particularly half-brothers Baaeed and Hukum, and while he wouldn’t be as talented as those two, he keeps on hinting he’s got a race like this in him when the ball bounces in his favour.
The Verdict: Back NAQEEB in the 3.40 Royal Ascot
Don’t Miss Nightfall in the Sandringham
Finally, James Fanshawe’s MISS NIGHTFALL is worth backing in the Sandringham under Oisin Murphy.
This filly looks well treated off 89 on her form from last year, when she beat French 1000 Guineas runner-up Shes Perfect at Goodwood and finished upsides French Derby winner Camille Pissaro in the big sales race at Doncaster.
Indeed, she showed up really well back at Goodwood on her seasonal reappearance, travelling well but conceding first run to the winner, Silver Ghost, after sluicing her way through the field.
It was a fine effort, one that a 2lb nudge up the weights probably underestimated, and I don’t think she’ll mind the faster ground here, either.
The extra furlong is a question mark, but the way she finished her race at Goodwood over seven gives cause for optimism on that score and her pace could be a vital weapon in a race like this in any case.
The Verdict: Back MISS NIGHTFALL in the 5.00 Royal Ascot
Preview posted at 1605 BST on 19/06/25
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