Commonwealth Cup long-term goal for Method

Graham Clark
October 11, 2020 11:45 am

Meade team eyeing Royal Ascot aim next year.

The Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot will be the chief objective next season for Martyn Meade’s high-class colt Method.

The son of Mehmas appeared every inch a top-class juvenile in the making in winning his first two starts – comfortably dispatching of Fev Rover at Doncaster before landing a Listed prize at Newbury.

His tilt at Group One glory in last month’s Middle Park was a non-event after Frankie Dettori’s saddle slipped and he was well fancied to get back on the winning trail on his return to the Rowley Mile for Friday’s Cornwallis Stakes.

Method ran a creditable race over an inadequate five furlongs to finish second to Winter Power and connections are looking forward to seeing what he can achieve in 2021.

Reflecting on his latest performance, Freddie Meade, assistant to his father, said: “We achieved what we wanted as what happened in the Middle Park was so frustrating.

“Having had no sort of race in the Middle Park, we were desperate to give him another race and let him enjoy himself. The ground conditions were not ideal and we didn’t know how he would handle them and the trip was a bit on the sharp side.

“The speedier horses maybe got away from him, but he finished like a train. He will go back up to six furlongs next year, so we will aim for the Commonwealth Cup and work back from there.

“We were happy to get a nice race into him and we can put him away for the winter now and start again, when maybe we will see some people back on track cheering him on.”