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Europe Racing News
Tuesday, June 06 2023
Commonwealth Cup potentially next for Middleham Park’s Shouldvebeenaring

There could be another duel between top-class sprinters Shouldvebeenaring and Little Big Bear in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Only one-and-a-quarter lengths split the pair in the the 6f Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock Park when Little Big Bear came out on top.

Shouldvebeenaring has been in good order this season, winning the 7f Listed King Charles II Stakes at Newmarket on Guineas weekend over 7f and placing on two separate occasions in April. Connections paid £40,000 for the son of Havana Grey and he has earned over £250,000 in prize money.

Tim Palin of Middleham Park explained their slightly surprised reaction to the Haydock performance.

"It did catch us a little bit by surprise but we felt he warranted his place in the race, he deserved his shot at the big time. He'd been crashing around in Listed races and doing that particularly well and we just thought we'd pop his head above the parapet and see where he ended up.

"He did it in spades, didn't he? He stepped up to the plate in spades. I was pleasantly surprised, to get so close to the champion two-year-old is an immense achievement for a £40,000 yearling that we bought from Goffs UK.

"Richard [Hannon, trainer] had said to me on the Tuesday after his final piece of work, 'Tim, this horse is better than ever. He's never done what he's just done there in front of me'.

The grey colt holds two entries at Royal Ascot in the 6f Wokingham Handicap and the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup.

If connections opt for the Group 1, they will likely face Aidan O'Brien's Little Big Bear again.

Palin added: "It's great to be mixing it in these lofty places, where do we go now? There's some talk about the Jersey, but Sean [Levey] did say that he wouldn't mind another go at the winner when he got off.

"That's what we may well do, if he's [Little Big Bear] the 13/8 favourite and we're just a couple of lengths off him then he would probably deserve a place in the Commonwealth Cup. He'd have to mix it with even more blue-blooded types and time will tell but he does deserve it, a stiff six furlongs is probably Shouldvebeenaring playing at home.

"He wears his heart on his sleeve, he has the heart of a lion and puts so much effort into all of his races, even the days he's been beaten."

Posted by: AT 03:38 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
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