Keane and Babouche looking to turn on the style in Commonwealth Cup
Barry Mahon, Juddmonte's European racing manager, said: 'Babouche is in good form and won the trial for this race in Ireland in good style. We would be hopeful of a good run, but we wouldn't be fussy which one won.
'I think it would have been tough for Colin to get off Babouche having ridden her in all her starts and his association with Ger, but both horses are in good form and ready to run well.'
Jonquil (left) is a high-class second string for owners Juddmonte (David Davies/PA)
On Jonquil, who will be ridden by Christophe Soumillon, Mahon added: 'Dropping back to six furlongs is a bit of an unknown, but he showed a lot of speed when winning the Greenham at Newbury and also showed plenty of speed in France and hit the front a furlong down. Oisin (Murphy) and Andrew both felt it was a good option for him.'
Babouche got the better of Aidan O'Brien's Whistlejacket in the Lacken Stakes last time, with the Ballydoyle runner fourth in the Norfolk Stakes at this meeting last year before winning the Prix Morny at two.
Meanwhile, another colt dropping back in distance after an honourable third in Classic action is Charlie Appleby's Middle Park and Dewhurst champion Shadow Of Light, who lost nothing when chasing home Ruling Court and Field Of Gold at Newmarket.
Speaking on the Godolphin website, Appleby said: 'Shadow Of Light is in great order, and I'm pleased with the draw (stall 19).
'He ran a great race in the 2000 Guineas and we are confident that the drop back to six furlongs is going to suit. I can't give any negatives and I'm hopeful he is the one to beat.'
BIG MOJO rediscovers his mojo on Royal Ascot Trials Day, winning the @eventmasters Commonwealth Cup Trial Stakes. Congratulations to @TomMarquand and @MickApplebyUK pic.twitter.com/3NpaMcqzq1
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) April 30, 2025
Mick Appleby's Big Mojo won the Pavilion Stakes over course and distance in April and after no luck in running in the Sandy Lane at Haydock bids to give his connections another magical moment at the summer showpiece, as Hollie Doyle takes over the steering from husband Tom Marquand.
'He's in good order and hopefully he has a decent chance,' said Appleby.
'It's a shame Tom (Marquand) can't ride him, but Hollie isn't a bad substitute – hopefully Tom has given her the lowdown.
'He had no luck in running at Haydock last time and I think with a clear run he could have gone close. He just got stuck behind a wall of horses with nowhere to go.
'He won well at Ascot earlier in the year and is drawn in the middle which is nice as it should be good to go either way. Fingers crossed he can run really well.'
International interest is provided by Jose Francisco D'Angelo's prolific US winner Shisospicy, who will be the mount of the aforementioned Murphy, while Francis-Henri Graffard's Rayevka was also supplemented along with the American challenger after impressing at Chantilly earlier this month.
'It's a very tough race and a big field and a bit of a cavalry charge, but she's a three-year-old sprinting filly and if we'd waited we were going to have to run in a Group Three against older horses,' said Nemone Routh, racing manager for owners the Aga Khan Studs.
'She won a Listed race well last time and this was her last opportunity to run in a Group race against her own age group. It is a big ask and we'd be really chuffed if she was to run into a place.
'She's in good form, sprinting is her game and she is a top of the ground horse.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
44 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Contrasting Jamie Vardy transfer answer tells Celtic fans everything as boss changes tune
Rodgers would neither rule a move for the Leicester City legend in or out and that in itself was a clue As a man who picks every word carefully, it's hard not to read into Brendan Rodgers' answer when asked about the prospect of Celtic signing Jamie Vardy. The 38-year-old is a free agent after bringing a legendary 13-year spell at Leicester City to an end this summer after their relegation from the Premier League. Reports emerged from down south on Monday claiming that Vardy was desperate to make the move to Parkhead and link up with Rodgers once again, having thrived under the Irishman with the Foxes, helping fire them to European qualification and an FA Cup triumph. And he while talking highly of the player. 'Listen I would not speak about any individual player,: he said. "Of course, I've worked really well with Jamie. 'He was brilliant for me in my time at Leicester. But no, there's been so many names floated about. But I wouldn't disclose anyone." Rodgers took a similar approach in the midst of speculation surrounding Kasper Schmeichel last summer, and we know how that one turned out: "Kasper's a very, very good one. I know Kasper really well but there's lots of names and clearly I'm not going to tell you." Run of the mill stuff, until you compare it to what Rodgers said about Odsonne Edouard. The Frenchman is on the way out of Crystal Palace and was linked with a return to Celtic, who signed him from PSG for £9million during Rodgers' first spell. But it was one the Irishman knocked down pretty quickly. 'Big names don't always give you what you need," he said. "This team needs hunger, goals and work rate and intensity. 'Big names don't always give you that. It's about big players. 'I just want players who are hungry to learn but also ready now. There are lots of players linked with us. 'Odsonne hasn't been on my radar, to be fair. I obviously know him but it's about a player who will fit into the structure of the team.' While a deal for Edouard would always have been a stretch financially, Vardy is a veteran free agent which removes a few obstacles. But it also suggests that if Vardy wasn't happening then the Parkhead boss would have said so. And his transfer checklist also tallies with what he said about the striker when he first met him in the Leicester dressing room. 'He's just right up my street in terms of devilment and running and hunger to score. From that, we've struck up a strong relationship. 'He knows where the line is. He's a great boy. I love his energy. I love his passion. He actually loves football, which helps. He knows the game. "He has real desire to score goals, to work, to be the best he can and to succeed. In this type of culture, that's perfect. 'He has a smile everyday, he has fun, but he knows when he's working as well. In the games, you can see what he's taking from training. He's such a threat. 'We talk about his numbers and his efficiency, it's absolutely phenomenal.'
Daily Record
44 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Aberdeen star Adil Aouchiche lifts lid on PSG life with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe
Aouchiche was previously a hot talent in the Champions League holders' youth system Adil Aouchiche mixed it with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in their Champions League pursuit so he's unlikely to be fazed by anything Aberdeen face in the Europa. The talented playmaker came through the ranks at Paris Saint-Germain and rubbed shoulders with the Brazilian and French heroes. The Ligue 1 giants had a galaxy of stars and the midfielder admits it gave him an education money just can't buy. He moved on to St Etienne, Lorient and Sunderland but it is on this loan spell at Pittodrie where Aouchiche will get his first taste of European football. While Neymar and Mbappe has their sights locked on the Champions League, the Frenchman's sole focus will be trying to get a first-leg lift in the Europa when play-off foes FCSB pitch up tomorrow. Aouchiche said: 'The standard at PSG was so high. You want to play with the best players in the world. 'I was 16 or 17, training with Neymar, Mbappe, Thiago Silva – a lot of experience. 'It was good, they were helpful to young players but it was also hard because the level is so high. You have to follow everyone at that level. 'It is not easy. Sometimes you need to follow the process at times. Sometimes you need to go down before you can go up again. 'I am now in a good club to be myself and to show what I can do on the pitch. 'At PSG, the main goal was to win the Champions League so it was a bit stressful for everyone. It was a good step for me to start out there, to experience that level.' The Dons are guaranteed group-stage football regardless, with the Conference League waiting for them if they fail to negotiate the Romanians. Aouchiche knows the safety net is there but everyone in red wants it to be the Europa League. The 23-year-old added: 'The European games will be some of the best of the season because everyone has a high objective and wants to play in the Europa League. 'Knowing that Aberdeen were in Europe was a big factor in joining the club, of course. I haven't played in European football before, this will be my first experience of this competition.' Boss Jimmy Thelin convinced the midfielder to move from the Stadium of Light on loan, with the Dons having the option to buy him for a club-record £1.5million. Aouchiche revealed playing in Europe was a big factor in him making the move. He said: 'When I signed, it was first for the project here, for the experience of the kind of games we can play here. 'Europa League or Conference League is a big bonus for me. It will help me and everyone else get to another level. If we can get to the Europa League, there will be some huge clubs and everyone wants to play against these teams. 'We want to see where we are, among the top teams at this level, so it's going to be a really good test for us all.' Aouchiche is also aware of what European football means to Aberdeen. He only has to look at the two stars on his jersey to show the European Cup Winners' Cup and Super Cup triumphs under Sir Alex Ferguson in the 1980s when they dumped the might of Real Madrid and Hamburg. The new boy also did his own homework on that before he joined the Dons. He said: 'I knew before coming here that Aberdeen had won European trophies before. 'When I sign for a new club I watch old games and try to know a lot about the history of the club. We have the two stars on the shirt as well and two stars is not for every club, so we're one of the best in Scotland. I am just glad to be here.' Aouchiche turned to former Aberdeen player Mo Chalali for advice before he made the switch north. The Algerian told him to go for it and that along with the success his Sunderland team-mate Nectarios Triantis had on loan at Premiership rivals Hibs were persuasive factors. He added: 'I saw Nectar come to Scotland and do very well, it was really good for him coming up here. We played a lot in training sessions, he's a good player and a good man. 'I saw that this type of profile can show their qualities in the league in Scotland. A lot of clubs want to sign Nectar now, so there is a lot of motivation coming here.'
South Wales Argus
an hour ago
- South Wales Argus
Valuable point for Abergavenny in 1-1 draw
Summer signing Ben Brooks headed the Pennies in front from Corey Mitchell's 37th minute corner before Iwan John hit back for the visitors seven minutes later. The hosts made a solid start when Brooks volleyed into the side netting from a third minute cross before Ashley Morris made an important save with his feet four minutes later to deny Troy Hiscock-Greening following a low cross from the left. Abergavenny Town's Alfie Jones saw his shot inside the penalty area blocked in the eighth minute before Tye Duggan diverted the rebound over the crossbar. Iwan John was denied by Morris in the 17th minute before Joshua Pope's shot was blocked four minutes later after a corner was only partially cleared by the home defence. John flashed an effort wide of the target in the 23rd minute before the Caerphilly Athletic goalkeeper Chris Alexander dropped a cross two minutes later but Harrison Reynolds saw his ensuing close-range effort blocked. Brooks volleyed over from the edge of the penalty area in the 27th minute following a cross from the right before Morris came out to block Jason Gardiner after he pounced on a mistake in the home defence. John fired an effort wide from 25 yards in the 32nd minute before Duggan's volley from inside the penalty area was deflected behind for a corner. Brooks broke the deadlock from the ensuing set-piece before he nearly doubled the lead in the 40th minute but was denied by Alexander following a cross from the right. The visitors were on level terms four minutes later when John latched on to a well-timed through ball to coolly finish past Morris. The visitors started the second-half with Pope directing an effort wide from the edge of the penalty area in the 48th minute following a break down the left flank. Abergavenny Town responded four minutes later with Brooks' free-kick taken just outside the left edge of the penalty area clipping the top of the crossbar before Duggan's 56th minute header was saved from a cross on the right. Duggan then had a far post header blocked from a corner three minutes later prior to John having a couple of efforts blocked six minutes later and Pope striking an upright. Gardiner directed an effort wide of the far post from a 70th minute cross before Brooks saw a shot blocked from a corner 12 minutes later following a swift counter-attack by the Pennies. However, it was the visitors who looked more likely to secure a winning goal in the closing stages. John pounced on an error in the home rear-guard and rounded Morris but placed the ball wide of the target whilst under pressure. Dafydd Pearce drove into the penalty area three minutes later but his effort was blocked prior to Hiscock-Greening's shot from the edge of the penalty area blocked in stoppage-time. Abergavenny Town now turn their attention away from league action for the next few weeks as they visit Ardal South East rivals Caldicot Town on Saturday in the JD Welsh Cup second qualifying round.
