Cyrus Rocks Included In Royal Ascot Entries

Leading Sydney trainer Gai Waterhouse has included unraced colt Cyrus Rocks in the nominations for the 2015 Commonwealth Cup that will be held during the Royal Ascot Meeting in the United Kingdom.

Gai Waterhouse is keen to take Cyrus Rocks to Royal Ascot for the 2015 Commonwealth Cup. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Gai Waterhouse is keen to take Cyrus Rocks to Royal Ascot for the 2015 Commonwealth Cup. Photo by: Daniel Costello

Cyrus Rocks made his first public appearance at Royal Randwick on March 31 when he took out a barrier trial over 728 metres under a tight hold and he performed well when third in a barrier trial over 1044 metres at the same venue on April 13.

The Bernardini colt impressed Waterhouse with his trackwork at Royal Randwick yesterday and the in-form trainer revealed on Twitter that she could take the two-year-old to Royal Ascot for the Commonwealth Cup – a new race at the meeting for Northern Hemisphere three-year-olds.

“Cyrus Rocks, son of Bernardini, may head to Royal Ascot to contest the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup to co-fly the Australian flag,” Waterhouse posted on Twitter.

Waterhouse’s Racing Manager Adrian Bott confirmed that Waterhouse was dead serious about taking the unraced two-year-old all the way to England, but he admitted that the colt still needs to show that he is worthy of the investment.

Bott told Racing.com that Cyrus Rocks is set to make his racing debut at Canterbury next Wednesday and connections will then make a decision on whether a start in the Commonwealth Cup is a realistic option for the two-year-old.

“Gai’s all about looking internationally and keeping an open mind with these type of horses,” Bott said.

“She’s wanted to take a two-year-old over to Europe for a number of years and this one may well be the likely prospect.

“Obviously it’s still very early days and it would take a lot to confirm that move and take the horse over there but there’s no harm in putting in a nomination.

“You’ve got to weigh up in more detail once the horse has made its debut and gone further in the preparation.

“There’s a lot to happen between now and then, it’s still very early days but you’ve got to be looking ahead.”

Waterhouse is set to be represented at the 2015 Royal Ascot Meeting by Wandjina, who is set to contest the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1207m), while other Australian representatives are likely to include Brazen Beau in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes, Shamal Wind in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes (1006m) and Criterion in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (2012m).

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.