'He's very overpriced for the Commonwealth - his work has been very, very good'

Michael O'Callaghan believes stable star Twilight Jet is being overlooked in the market as a 12-1 chance for next week's Commonwealth Cup and is adamant that the exciting colt is better than ever before.

An extremely robust juvenile last season, the £210,000 breeze-up purchase improved throughout a busy 2021 campaign in which he made 11 starts in just over 24 weeks, including six appearances overseas.

Despite a setback that almost saw him miss his comeback in the Lacken Stakes, the colt by Twilight Son blew away his rivals in that Group 3 Naas race last month under jockey Leigh Roche to become Ireland's top-rated three-year-old sprinter with a mark of 114.

O'Callaghan, seeking his first win at the royal meeting, is expecting improvement from that three-length victory and is hoping Twilight Jet can follow in the footsteps of Caravaggio, who used the Lacken as a springboard for Commonwealth Cup success in 2017.

"I think he's very overpriced," the Curragh trainer said.

Twilight Jet: 12-1 chance for Commonwealth Cup successCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

"If a more well-known trainer, the likes of Ballydoyle, trained him, he'd be a shorter price. You couldn't ask him to do more than he did at Naas for his first start of the season against race-fit rivals.

"He's come out of Naas really well and has improved. His work has been very, very good. He hasn't been in better form all year.

"He's a bigger, stronger and a more finished article this year compared to last season. He's got a great mind and loves the game."

Of those towards the head of the market, O'Callaghan views Go Bears Go as another who could be slightly underestimated at 10-1.

However, he insists he would not swap his representative for any rival in the field.

O'Callaghan said: "Perfect Power had a hard race over a mile on fast ground in the 2,000 Guineas. This will be his first run since and it's not easy.

"Of the horses in the Sandy Lane, they looked to finish in a bit of a bunch and generally that's not always a great sign.

Twilight Jet: out to follow in the footsteps of Caravaggio by completing the Lacken Stakes-Commonwealth Cup doubleCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

"Go Bears Go did throw away his race at the start there and looked good at Ascot before. He's probably one who's overpriced but I wouldn't swap my lad for anything in the race."

O'Callaghan added: "Our horse had a little setback earlier in the year that meant he had an extended break when he came back from the Breeders' Cup. It was about six weeks longer off than ideal, but all came right.

"If the Lacken Stakes had come a couple of weeks earlier he wouldn't have been straight enough to even get started. Leigh said afterwards there would be improvement to come because the horse had a good blow at the two-furlong marker."

O'Callaghan is preparing arguably the strongest squad he has ever assembled for Royal Ascot, headed up by impressive Curragh maiden winner Crypto Force.

Picked up for 160,000gns at the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale in April, the son of Time Test will go under the hammer at the Goffs London Sale on Monday, priced between 10-1 for 14-1 for the Chesham Stakes on Saturday.

Crypto Force: impressed when winning on his debut at the Curragh earlier this monthCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Stablemate Harry Time, winner of a Navan maiden on his debut last month after changing hands for 82,000gns at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale, is also bound for the same sale before running in Tuesday's Coventry Stakes.

O'Callaghan said: "Crypto Force is for sale on Monday but I'd love to keep him. He's a real one to look forward to over seven furlongs or a mile and could be a Guineas horse next spring. He'll go to the Chesham.

"We've been delighted with Harry Time since winning on his debut at Navan, which isn't an easy thing to do in Ireland with the strong bunch of two-year-olds around this season. He won quite well and has progressed since."

On his other main hopes for the royal meeting, O'Callaghan added: "Mehmar will run in the Windsor Castle. I'm very happy with him and I think he'll run a big race.

"I'd imagine a stiff and strongly-run five furlongs will really suit him. I think it would be foolish to disregard him, and Malex looks to have a big chance in the Britannia too."

Commonwealth Cup (3.05, June 17)

Paddy Power: 9-2 Perfect Power, 6 El Caballo, 8 Ehraz, 9 Slipstream, 10 Go Bears Go, Twilight Jet, Tenebrism, 12 Tiber Flow, 14 Flaming Rib, Wings Of War, 16 bar.

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