O'Brien has favorites in pair of Group 1's at Ascot on Friday
The filly Hermosa and colt Ten Sovereigns may give Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien a sweep of the two Group 1 races at Royal Ascot on Friday.
As of Wednesday, Hermosa was even-money in early betting to win her third consecutive Group 1 race in the $631,150 Coronation Stakes at a mile for 3-year-old fillies.
Owned by the Coolmore syndicate, Hermosa, by Galileo, is unbeaten in two starts this year, both Group 1 races – the English 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 5 and the Irish 1000 Guineas, run at the Curragh on May 26, which she won by an easy four lengths after setting the pace.
Hermosa, who will be ridden by Ryan Moore, faces two unbeaten fillies in Castle Lady and Jubiloso, who have strong credentials.
Castle Lady, a three-time winner for French trainer Henri-Alex Pantall, won her Group 1 debut in the French 1000 Guineas at Longchamp on May 12 by a nose as the 5-2 favorite.
Jubiloso will make her stakes debut in the Coronation Stakes. Trained by Michael Stoute, she won a maiden race on the all-weather surface at Chelmsford City in her debut on April 25 and an allowance race for 3-year-olds from the front at Newbury Racecourse on May 17.
Ten Sovereigns was 5-4 on Wednesday to win the $631,150 Commonwealth Cup at six furlongs for 3-year-olds.
Unbeaten in three starts in 2018, all at six furlongs, Ten Sovereigns won his Group 1 debut in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket in October. Owned by the Coolmore syndicate, Ten Sovereigns failed as the 9-4 favorite in the English 2000 Guineas at a mile at Newmarket on May 4 in his first start of the year, finishing 4 3/4 lengths behind stablemate Magna Grecia.
Moore rode Ten Sovereigns for the first time in the 2000 Guineas and retains the mount in the Commonwealth Cup, which drew a field of nine. Hello Youmzain, the winner of two Group 2 wins in his five-race career, has shown recent form that will make him competitive.
Trained by Kevin Ryan, Hello Youmzain won his second start of the year in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at six furlongs for 3-year-olds at Haydock on May 25. He beat heavily favored Calyx, who is not part of Friday’s Commonwealth Cup because of a pastern injury.
The six-race program begins at 9:30 a.m. Eastern with the Group 3 Albany Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs. American trainer Wesley Ward starts two of the 26 runners – Chili Petin and Nayibeth, the 4-1 favorite as of Wednesday.
Chili Petin, who will be ridden by John Velazquez, and Nayibeth, the mount of Joel Rosario, were easy winners of maiden special weight races at 4 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland in April. Chili Petin was the 13-2 second choice in early betting on Wednesday for the Albany.
The British-trained contenders are led by Daahyeh, who won her debut at Newmarket on May 18, beating Raffle Prize. Wednesday, Raffle Prize won the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at five furlongs at Royal Ascot in an 18-1 upset.
