Gosdens counting on Emily Upjohn to confirm early promise

PA Sport Reporters
October 14, 2022 10:38 am

Clarehaven team also run Park Hill winner Mimikyu.

Frankie Dettori puts his faith in Emily Upjohn to bounce back to top form and defy a wide draw in the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot.

The rider had the pick of John and Thady Gosden’s two runners, plumping for the narrow Epsom Oaks second over Mimikyu, who secured a decisive success in the Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster last month.

Emily Upjohn was beaten just a short head in the June Classic and was subsequently expected to take a hand in the finish of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes over this course and distance in July, having had an Irish Oaks bid scuppered by travel issues.

However, she was far too keen in the early stages and eventually came home last of the six runners, with the Gosden team applying a hood this time in the hope of helping her to settle.

Tuesday (far side) edged out Emily Upjohn in the Oaks (John Walton/PA)

Thady Gosden said: “Emily Upjohn had a great start to the year but over-raced a little bit in the King George. She has been given time to settle down and seems well in herself now. The hood will keep her a little more relaxed. She’s been training in it at home and it seems to work well.

“Mimikyu has progressed well and won the Park Hill last time. She is coming back down in trip which shouldn’t be an issue.”

While Emily Upjohn is drawn in stall 10, Mimikyu will break from the opposite side in one, but Gosden has full confidence in Dettori and Mimkyu’s rider Robert Havlin to ably deal with their respective hands.

Mimikyu will be partnered by Robert Havlin at Ascot (Tim Goode/PA)

He added: “Frankie had the choice of two classy fillies. Mimikyu is drawn in gate one while Emily Upjohn is in 10. It’s a full field and they even had to ballot a couple of horses out. There are plenty of smart fillies in there.

“You would rather not be drawn as far inside as one and not quite as far out as 10 but Frankie knows his way around Ascot pretty well, as does Rab, so we will have to see how they break and work out how they sit in the field.”

Emily Upjohn looks likely to go off favourite for her third attempt in Group One company, but her main market rival appears to be the Charlie Appleby-trained Eternal Pearl, who will be having her first try at the highest level.

The Frankel filly has made relentless progress after coming home fourth on her racecourse bow at Ascot in April, winning her last four starts and progressing from a novice strike to Group Three glory on her last two starts.

Eternal Pearl (right) makes the leap to Group One level (Mike Egerton/PA)

Appleby said: “Eternal Pearl is stepping up to Group One company for the first time. We are testing the waters, but she goes from strength to strength and on what she’s achieved so far she won’t look out of place.

“Staying is her forte, and if it came up testing it would play to her strengths.”

Appleby and William Haggas are currently battling it out at the top of the trainers’ championship and the GBP 283,550 first prize would certainly enhance either of their chances.

Sea La Rosa following her ParisLongchamp success (Ashley Iveson/PA)

Haggas fields two in his quest for glory, with Prix de Royallieu victor Sea La Rosa leading the way ahead of Prix Vermeille second Lilac Road.

The Newmarket handler said: “I think it’s a really good renewal this year, but both of our fillies are really well. Sea La Rosa has been a revelation this year. She stays well and tries hard, so I think she’s bound to be in the shake-up, but whether she’s quite good enough we’ll see.

“Lilac Road has also done nothing but improve, and I thought she was a bit unlucky in the Nassau before running a terrific race in the Prix Vermeille.”

The form of Haggas’ duo ties in with Francis Graffard’s pair of French challengers, with Vermeille victor Sweet Lady and Royallieu seventh Verry Elleegant both going for gold.

While Sweet Lady’s claims are obvious, last year’s Melbourne Cup winner and 11-times Group One scorer Verry Elleegant is on a redemption mission after the Australian star endured a disappointing run on Arc weekend.

Graffard told Sky Sports Racing: “Sweet Lady has strong form. She likes a bit of cut in the ground also. She won a Group Two at the beginning of the year and ran a cracking race behind Alpinista at Saint-Cloud from very far back.

“I think a bit of cut in the ground and a fast pace will suit her and Ascot will suit her too.

“It’s a logical race for her and she will be ready to run a very good race. Hopefully she’s good enough to beat the rest of the field.

“Verry Elleegant didn’t race at all in the Royallieu. The owner said to the jockey there was one place she didn’t want to be and that is on the rail boxed in because she hates that – and from the first bend it was very painful to watch because the mare was never comfortable, she pulled really hard all the way and had no room.

“It was a very upsetting run for her, and I’m upset for the mare as she doesn’t deserve such bad results – it doesn’t show how good she is.

“If she has a clear run and she’s unplaced then fair enough, that’s probably because she’s not good enough. But from what she shows in a work morning I think she can be very competitive.”