By Emma Berry
John and Thady Gosden had some of their star fillies on the July Course early on Saturday morning with their former stable jockey William Buick replacing Frankie Dettori on Emily Upjohn (GB) for the first time ahead of their engagement in next Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse S.
The Coronation Cup winner was joined by her fellow Epsom heroine, the Oaks winner Soul Sister (GB) (Frankel {GB}), and they were led in their mile-long gallop by last season's G2 Park Hill Fillies' S. winner Mimikyu (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Emily Upjohn, whose sire Sea The Stars (Ire) won the Eclipse in 2009, will aim to become her stable's fifth winner of the race. John Gosden said of the statuesque four-year-old, “She is very laidback in the mornings but I'm very happy with her and William was happy with her. I was pleased with all three fillies' work.
“Mimikyu always works well but the other two are always a bit more laidback about life but I'm pleased with them.”
He added that no decision has yet been taken as to where Lady Bamford's Soul Sister will run next. While Emily Upjohn heads to Sandown for the Shack family and Watership Down Stud, the options for George Strawbridge's homebred Mimikyu include the G2 Lancashire Oaks and G2 Lillie Langtry S.
On Thursday, Dettori failed in his appeal to overturn the nine-day suspension he received for interference at Royal Ascot. He also picked up an eight-day whip ban, which will be served immediately after the interference suspension, ruling him out of action from July 4 to 22.
Explaining the booking for the Eclipse, Gosden, who has previously won the race with Nathaniel (Ire), Golden Horn (GB), Roaring Lion and Enable (GB), said, “The owners talked after the appeal hadn't worked out for Frankie and they wanted William and it makes total sense. The owners all know each other well and the fact that William didn't have a ride in the race made it easy. ”
He continued “She was impressive the other day at Epsom. She has had a good winter and come to herself well. We said after the Coronation Cup we were going to go to the Eclipse and that remains the plan. She is coming back to a mile and a quarter but [Sandown] should suit her as she won her novice there in good style so she has been round there before.”
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