Inisherin all set to go for Commonwealth gold

Kevin Ryan has confirmed Inisherin will be supplemented for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot following his dominant victory in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock.

Narrowly beaten by Derby contender Bellum Justum as a 50-1 shot for his racecourse debut at Newmarket in September, the Shamardal colt made a successful start to his three-year-old campaign over a mile at Newcastle in March before finishing sixth in the 2000 Guineas, beaten less than five lengths.

Together with owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, Ryan decided to drop his charge back to six furlongs for last weekend’s Group Two test on Merseyside and having made much of the running on his way to a runaway success from Orne and the previously-unbeaten Vandeek, he is now set to be added to the Commonwealth Cup field at a cost of £46,000.

“I was delighted with him on Saturday, he’s a horse with a lot of speed. Sheikh Mohammed Obaid was in agreement that we’d try six furlongs and we were always very confident it would suit him,” said Ryan.

“He moved through the race great and quickened up nicely. It would probably be nicer for us in a race where you could give him a lead, but he has such a high cruising speed you have to let him use his stride.

“He’s a super horse to train in that he has a great mind and a great constitution, he’s a very simple horse to deal with.

“Sheikh Mohammed Obaid is going to supplement him for the Commonwealth Cup, all things being equal.”