Betting firm Fitzdares say that St James's Palace Stakes hotpot Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder) is the best backed horse on day one at Royal Ascot – but trader Mark Cancea revealed that Venetian Sun, as short as 2-1 favourite for the Commonwealth Cup, is by far the most popular horse in the ante-post wagering for the meeting on the whole.
Punters seem to believe that 2,000 Guineas winner Bow Echo is the real deal, according to Cancea, who said Fitzdares have seen one-way traffic for George Boughey's stable star ahead of next Tuesday's showpiece event.
He said, “The St James's Palace Stakes is shaping up into one of the races of the week and, from our point of view, punters think that Bow Echo at evens is the real deal. He is by far the best backed horse in the race – he's one of the best backed horses of the entire meeting. Even after the Irish 2,000 Guineas success of Gstaad (Starspangledbanner), the majority of the support has been for Bow Echo. I know Aidan O'Brien said that he was very much looking forward to the rematch between Gstaad and Bow Echo but that hasn't materialised with market support for Gstaad. Punters just want to be with Bow Echo at this point at least.”
Cancea added, “Now, the one fly in the ointment could well be Talk Of New York (Wootton Bassett). He was very impressive at Sandown and there has been some interesting support for him. He's actually been better backed than Gstaad. It's shaping up to be a brilliant race. We won't be looking to get Bow Echo on the day. We respect him and we'll just be market price about him winning.”
Bow Echo is second only to Venetian Sun in the popularity stakes with punters. After failing to stay in the 1,000 Guineas, Karl Burke's Starman filly blew her rivals away in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock. That was a performance that caused punters to stand up and take note, it would seem, yet Cancea says there are enough reasons to take on the short-priced favourite in the Commonwealth Cup.
He said, “The Commonwealth Cup has been a tricky race for punters down through the years. You usually get a big field and, depending on the draw, track position can be your undoing in that race. We've seen plenty of bankers beaten in this race and, while she definitely has a favourite's chance, we're happy to lay her at the price.”
While Fitzdares are happy to lay Venetian Sun, the outfit will be out to get Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Daryz (Sea The Stars) in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes, where he will face the likes of Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) and Almaqam (Lope De Vega). That will be one of the strongest positions of the week.
Cancea explained, “We're out to get Daryz in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes. Don't get me wrong, he's one of the best horses in the world but, coming back in trip, the Prince Of Wales's Stakes is going to be run in a very different fashion to the two races he's won over similar trips in France this season. We know that the French style of racing is very different to Britain and I just think Ombudsman will be better equipped to deal with the demands of Ascot. He is a very good horse to have running for you and he's not the only high-class horse that Daryz has to deal with as Almaqam looked very good in winning the Tattersalls Gold Cup in Ireland and that form has since been franked. Given the prices, with Daryz around a 5-4 chance, I think you have to take him on.”
As for the juvenile races, Cancea said that a lot will depend on which Aidan O'Brien-trained runner Ryan Moore sides with in the Coventry Stakes before that market takes a proper shape and pointed to a lack of meaningful money in the Group 2 contest at this juncture at least.
He concluded, “The markets for the two-year-old have yet to take any real shape. With regards to the Coventry Stakes, we'll be waiting to see which horse of Aidan's that Ryan Moore chooses to ride. They appear to have a very strong hand with Confucius (No Nay Never) and Great Barrier Reef (No Nay Never) at the head of the market and it would be hard to look beyond whatever the Ballydoyle number one is in the race.”
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