Following the display of Caravaggio (Scat Daddy) on Sunday, the upcoming G1 Commonwealth Cup is looking a tough spot, but Peter Ridgers's Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) looks to put down his own marker for that Royal Ascot sprint in Saturday's G2 Armstrong Aggregates Sandy Lane S. at Haydock. Impressive when breaking his maiden in the G2 Mill Reef S. on his second start at Newbury in September, the bay was even more so in defeat when failing by only 1 1/2 lengths to give Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) four pounds as the runner-up in the G3 Pavilion S. at Ascot on May 3. “We've always believed he was extremely talented, but his situation is that he lacks a lot of racecourse experience,” trainer Clive Cox said. “He had to run at Ascot with a penalty, as we needed more assurance about him and I was over the moon with him. He was a little bit fresh there, but did a super job really and we are very much hopeful of more progress. He is becoming more confident in every way and is pretty special on what we've seen at home. We had some good benchmarks among our 2-year-olds last year and he was able to win the Mill Reef on only his second start.”
Third in the G3 Nell Gwyn S. over seven furlongs at Newmarket on Apr. 19 and seventh in the G1 1000 Guineas back there trying a mile on May 7, last year's G3 Oh So Sharp S. scorer Poet's Vanity (GB) (Poet's Voice {GB}) is fascinating dropping back in trip and trainer Andrew Balding is on a fact-finding mission. “The thought was that she didn't stay in the 1000 Guineas, which was a bit of a surprise,” he commented. “We will drop her right back in trip now down to six furlongs and go for the Sandy Lane. I didn't think this would be her next race, but she didn't stay the mile.” Interestingly, William Haggas saddles a duo in Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's Pavilion third Mubtasim (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}) and Liam Sheridan's Listed Spring Cup and 3-Year-Old All-Weather Championships Conditions S. winner Second Thought (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). The latter is still on the upgrade and unexposed back on turf for the first time since his debut.
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