Royal Ascot Day 4 Tips: James Mackie's best bets in the Commonwealth Cup

15:05, Commonwealth Cup - Coppull E/W 4 places @ 9/110.00

5 (14)

Coppull

• J: Rossa Ryan
• T: Clive Cox
• F:

The Commonwealth Cup betting is dominated by the strong favourite Venetian Sun for trainer Karl Burke at 11/82.38 and she looks tough to beat being 5/5 over sprint trips and got back to winning ways in impressive fashion at Haydock in the Sandy Lane Stakes.

However, in a 22-runner sprint contest at Royal Ascot with Betfair offering four places I want to try and find some value and I have gone for two runners each way to try and bring down the favourite.

The first is the Clive Cox trained Coppull drawn in Stall 14. The colt loves racing at Ascot finishing third in the competitive Group 2 Coventry Stakes last season being beaten by the superstar Group 1 winner Gstaad.

Finishing third again in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes behind Wise Approach and Brussels on his final start last season he has shown constantly he can mix in these types of races.

On his seasonal reappearance this season, back at Ascot over C&D, he went on to land the Group 3 Commonwealth Cup Trial by a head. He will be sure to improve for that run and to me he just looks to love racing at this track.

At a an each-way price of 9/110.00 I would be shocked to see him not fill the front four and hopefully he can go even closer with conditions in his favour again today.

15:05, Commonwealth Cup - Charles Darwin E/W 4 places @ 11/112.00

4 (20)

Charles Darwin (Ire)

• J: W. M. Lordan
• T: Aidan O'Brien, Ireland
• F:

Another horse in the field that has piqued my interest from an each-way perspective is the Aidan O'Brien trained Charles Darwin at a double figure price and because of his poor latest run we are getting a bigger price than we would have about a smart sprinter for top connections.

Winning two races decisively last season at Naas and Navan, he then went to Royal Ascot where he went on to dominate the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes over 5f, beating Group 1 winner Wise Approach emphatically. I think back at this track can bring the best out of him and have no qualms over him running over 6f today.

He is not the choice of Ryan Moore which is a worry but that only adds to his elevated price and if putting his final run behind him which I am happy to forgive him one bad run in his career at 11/112.00 he represents strong each-way value with four places on offer from stall 20.

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