Charlie Appleby’s Blue Point registered an impressive victory in the Merriebelle Stable Pavilion Stakes at Ascot on Wednesday, outlining his Group One Commonwealth Cup claims at the Royal meeting in June.
A winner of the Group Two Gimcrack Stakes at York last year, the three-year-old colt finished in the placings in both the Group One Dewhurst Stakes and Group One Middle Park but showed not early that he had trained on, but that he also retained his signature burst of sped as he powered clear of his rivals in taking fashion over the six-furlong trip.
Ridden by William Buick, the son of Shamardal was always prominent and fended off the challenge of Clive Cox’s Harry Angel who got upset in the stalls and was keen in the race by a length and a half to reiterate his position at the top of the three-year-old sprinting division.
Paddy Power made the colt their 7/2 favourite from 6/1 for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, with winning trainer Appleby remarking:
I’m not going to start changing my opinion of him – he’s the quickest horse in the yard and always has been. The horse has wintered well in Dubai. A couple of people have said he’s not the biggest, but for me he’s got a great chest on him and plenty of strength.
A lot of credit needs to go to (former jockey) Willie Ryan, who taught the horse how to settle. A lot of horses travelled freely enough today, but this horse has learned how to settle and go through the gears.
William (Buick) was delighted with him and we’ll go straight for the Commonwealth Cup.
We spoke about the Sandy Lane (Haydock, May 27), but there’s no need to go there as he’s done his job, so we’ll head straight to Royal Ascot. I think he deserves to be there and I think he’s a very live contender.
