G1 Commonwealth Cup second and third for Harry Angel & Blue Point
23 June, 2017
Harry Angel and Blue Point ran superb races to finish second and third respectively in a thrilling third running of the G1 Commonwealth Cup over six furlongs at Royal Ascot on Friday, June 23.
Both three-year-old colts showed good early speed, with Adam Kirby sending on the Clive Cox-trained Harry Angel into an early lead as Blue Point, representing Charlie Appleby, settled in sixth of the 12 runners for William Buick.
Blue Point moved up to fourth after the first two furlongs and travelled strongly to take second as Harry Angel kicked for home just inside the final quarter-mile.
Harry Angel repelled the challenge of Blue Point but could not hold off Caravaggio, who hit the front with half a furlong left and went on to score by three quarters of a length in 1m 13.49s on good to firm ground.
The Godolphin duo kept on well in the closing stages, with Blue Point coming home half a length behind Harry Angel and a full three lengths ahead of Bound For Nowhere in fourth.
Cox said: “It was a great run, a great horse race. Harry Angel wore his heart on his sleeve a little bit there but when you take the blindfold off them and they jump that quick there’s not a lot you can do about it.
“Adam [Kirby] has given him a great ride and it was a very, very special race.
“It was close; he [Carvaggio] had to work to get us. So I don’t think there’s any doubt. Second in a G1 - I don’t think it will be long before he takes his revenge in a G1 race.
“We’ll see how he comes back from this race [as to where we go next], but I’m just very pleased with this.”
Charlie Appleby said about Blue Point: "I think we're all singing from the same hymn sheet by saying we're not going to see a sprint like that for a long time.
“William (Buick) got off and said it was a great race to ride in. They've gone quick and they've all kept finding.
"The winner has no chinks in his armour. He came off the bridle before we did and just found all the way to the line.
"We'll let the dust settle and we'll have to try, for all the first three horses' sakes, to keep them apart.
“Caravaggio is obviously a G1 winner and you'd like the second and third to win G1s by staying out of his way, or get the first three there for the next G1 and hope someone is a bit under par.
“Blue Point was in the best condition I could get him in and he ran a spectacular race. Congratulations to the people who put this race on. It's been great to be part of it.”
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