Al Aasy and Love feature in Coronation Cup confirmations

PA Sport Reporters
May 29, 2021 12:15 pm

Japan and Serpentine also left in Epsom showpiece.

Hot favourite Al Aasy and dual Classic-winning filly Love are among 11 confirmations for the Coral Coronation Cup at Epsom on Friday.

The William Haggas-trained Al Aasy is a warm order to successfully step up to Group One level, having looked every inch a top-class colt in winning successive Group Three prizes at Newbury this spring.

Love, who was a brilliant winner of both the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Oaks at Epsom last season, has not been seen in competitive action since winning the Yorkshire Oaks in August.

Love was an imperious winner of the Oaks (Megan Ridgwell/PA)

Aidan O’Brien recently raised the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot as her likely comeback target, but she retains the option of returning to Epsom next week.

The Ballydoyle handler, who has saddled a record eight previous winners of the Coronation Cup, has also confirmed Broome, Japan, Mogul and last year’s Derby hero Serpentine.

Should Love not make the trip across the Irish Sea, Japan would look to be O’Brien’s chief contender after making a winning start to his campaign in Chester’s Ormonde Stakes.

Pyledriver showed himself to be a force to be reckoned with last year (Edward Whitaker/PA)

Pyledriver is set to represent William Muir and his training partner Chris Grassick.

The Harbour Watch colt won the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Great Voltigeur at York last summer and made a promising reappearance when runner-up in the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket in early May.

Highland Chief (Paul and Oliver Cole), potential French raider In Swoop (Francis-Henri Graffard) and Kirsten Rausing-owned fillies Albaflora (Ralph Beckett) and Alpinista (Sir Mark Prescott) are the other hopefuls.