By Tom Frary
So unlucky in the Oaks 12 months ago, TDN Rising Star Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) made amends back at Epsom on Friday with a command performance under Frankie Dettori in the G1 Dahlbury Coronation Cup. Sent off the 11-4 second favourite, the 4-year-old had the benefit of an extra year to fill her sizeable frame and added advantage of the mares' allowance in this 12-furlong highlight which may have made a crucial difference as Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) chased her to the line 1 3/4 lengths in arrears.
Last seen winning the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S., the Lloyd Webber colour-bearer sat last of the classy quintet early before surging by them all approaching the two-furlong pole and into the clear. Despite the game pursuit of Juddmonte's 5-2 favourite, the Gosdens' runner was too far gone in a display to stand comparison with any in the recent history of this prestigious contest. Confirming that impression, there was a 7 1/2-length gap back to Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in third with other luminaries Tunnes (Ger) (Guiliani {Ire}) and Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) left trailing.
“She's a big girl so I got her ready at the top of the hill and gosh did she quicken, wow,” commented Dettori, whose farewell journey is predictably gaining traction with every major meeting. “The change of pace she showed! She feels better this year, stronger, but more importantly she's better in her mind. She was fighting last year, but she's ready to relax a bit this year.”
Last year's Oaks, where she was slowly away and further back than where Frankie would have wanted her, was followed by her well-documented blow-out in the King George where she tanked throughout before falling in a hole. Nurtured back for Champions Day, when a first-time hood was fitted, she had stormed back to form on testing ground and with the cold Spring holding her back this was very much an introductory mission.
What it looked like as she brushed aside such quality males from Tattenham Corner was a peak performance, but John Gosden was insistent that she was not 100 per cent at this stage. “She's only just come ready to run, actually, only just now,” he explained. “She's having a really good blow, so she should come on for that. She ended up in front too soon because of the way she quickened and was getting tired at the end, but she's a hugely talented filly.”
“The Oaks and King George went wrong last year, but that's history and she was still pretty good, coming back in the autumn and showing her class on soft ground, ” he added. “She's physically the same filly, but slightly on a year having furnished a little and she hadn't been showing that pace in the Spring and this ground is quickening all the time–it's genuine good-to-firm and she's shown a lot of talent.”
Sandown's Eclipse beckons now for the winner, with Gosden Sr adding, “She's in the Hardwicke at Ascot, but I'd like to run her in the Eclipse. She'd have no trouble coming back to 10 furlongs at Sandown, she likes meeting the ground there so I slightly favour that at this stage with its uphill finish.”
Westover's trainer Ralph Beckett is looking to potentially go the other way stamina-wise. “He's been beaten by a filly who has come here at the top of her game,” he said. “He just didn't have the pace that she did, but it was a good effort. He gets every yard of that trip and we might think about going a bit further. There are lots of things we can do.”
Aidan O'Brien said of Point Lonsdale, “We are very happy with the run, though he might have preferred someone to carry him a bit longer up the straight. He's inexperienced and we're still learning about him. There are plenty of options, including the Hardwicke and the King George.”
Pedigree Notes
Astonishingly a 60,000gns bargain purchase by Blandford Bloodstock at the 2020 Book 2 Sale, Emily Upjohn is out of Hidden Brief (GB) (Barathea {Ire}) who was third in the Listed Prix Petite Etoile and is a full-sister to the G3 Blue Wind S. winner and G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Yorkshire Oaks third Hazarista (Ire). She is also a half to Hazariya (Ire) (Xaar {GB}), who captured the G3 Athasi S. before producing the Derby and Irish Derby hero Harzand (Ire) also by Sea the Stars, as well as three other black-type winners including Harasiya (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) who was third in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. Another was the Listed Finale S. winner Hazarafa (Ire) (Daylami {Ire}), in turn the dam of Hazapour (Ire) (Shamardal) who took the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial and G3 Amethyst S.
Also under the second dam Hazaradjat (Ire) (Darshaan (GB) is another G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. heroine in Seal Of Approval (GB) (Authorized {Ire}), the opposing G1 Irish Derby, G1 St Leger and G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and the group scorers Hunaina (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}), Swashbuckling (Ire) (Raven's Pass), Vadream (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) and Hamariyna (Ire) by Sea The Stars' son Sea The Moon (Ger). Hidden Brief, who Lordship Stud sold to Gaelic Bloodstock for just 16,000gns at the 2019 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, also has the unraced 2-year-old daughter of Cappella Sansevero (GB) named Hidden Jewel (Ire).
Friday, Epsom, Britain
DAHLBURY CORONATION CUP-G1, £425,000, Epsom, 6-2, 4yo/up, 12f 6yT, 2:33.78, g/f.
1–EMILY UPJOHN (GB), 125, f, 4, by Sea The Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Hidden Brief (GB) (SP-Fr), by Barathea (Ire)
2nd Dam: Hazaradjat (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Hazy Idea, by Hethersett (GB)
(60,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Lloyd Webber, Tactful Finance & S Roden; B-Lordship Stud & Sunderland Holding Inc (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £241,018. Lifetime Record: 7-5-1-0, $888,016. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Westover (GB), 128, c, 4, Frankel (GB)–Mirabilis, by Lear Fan. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Ralph Beckett. £91,375.
3–Point Lonsdale (Ire), 128, c, 4, Australia (GB)–Sweepstake (Ire), by Acclamation (GB). (575,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £45,730.
Margins: 1 3/4, 7HF, 5. Odds: 2.75, 2.50, 3.50.
Also Ran: Tunnes (Ger), Hurricane Lane (Ire).
Wow – Emily Upjohn is back!
The star filly makes a triumphant return and earns Epsom redemption in a second Group 1 success, landing the @Dahlbury Coronation Cup for John and Thady Gosden and @FrankieDettori #DerbyFestival | @EpsomRacecourse pic.twitter.com/pNJfWs9jyV
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 2, 2023
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