The other Group 1 hosted by Epsom is the Coronation Cup, also run over the Oaks and Derby distance of 1m4f. For horses aged four and upwards, the 2024 renewal is staged on Friday, and Joe Napier has analysed the five runners to give his verdict.
Last year’s winner was Emily Upjohn, who cruised to success under Frankie Dettori. She is back to defend her title this season.
EMILY UPJOHN
(John & Thady Gosden/Kieran Shoemark)
The winner a year ago in imperious fashion, Emily Upjohn looked poised to go on a destructive run in 2023. The then four-year-old easily accounted for Arc runner-up Westover on the downs 12 months ago, only to lose all of her subsequent three races, arriving here now with something to prove.
Admittedly, her direct start afterwards saw her beaten only by three-year-old star Paddington in the Eclipse, facing that rival at a time in which he would receive the maximum in weight allowances. However, she then flopped in the King George and could manage only fifth in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic.
She was still second home of the European runners that day, and she goes very well fresh, but with more rain to come, she is also untested on anything slower than good-to-soft. Her physical profile suggests she should, but it would hover as a question mark where there cannot be one above her stellar form.
LUXEMBOURG
(Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore)
A top class horse in his own right, it would nevertheless surprise most racing fans that Luxembourg’s Group 1 haul is greater than Emily Upjohn’s to date. He has three to her two, claiming one per season between 2021-2023, two of which have been won on soft ground.
What counts as a negative in his book is that they were gained between 1m-1m2½f, with his two experiences over 1m4f to date seeing him finish seventh in the 2022 Arc, on woeful ground, and fourth in last year’s King George. Neither effort shamed him, but he was beaten 7½ and eight lengths in those races by genuine 1m4f performers.
Epsom’s track could help him, as may a more tactical race, but punters would be gambling on both. He is consistent, being placed three times at Group 1 level since his last victory, but he also flopped on his most recent start in Dubai, so enough is there to prove.
FEED THE FLAME
(Pascal Bary/Cristian Demuro)
Having looked immensely promising to begin his three-year-old season last year, Feed The Flame failed to quite kick on towards its end. Before last August, he had won three of four races, losing only in the French Derby won by Arc winner Ace Impact, including the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris in July.
He beat Oaks winner Soul Sister that day, but failed to reel back Fantastic Moon in his Arc prep in the Group 2 Prix Niel, then was only eighth in the Arc itself. The latter was no bad run in a deep field, but it still failed to match his RPR from his previous Longchamp victory on good-to-soft.
His reappearance was distinctly underwhelming in April, but he improved significantly to only narrowly fail in the Group 1 Prix Ganay on very soft ground. The step back up to 1m4f is likely to help him and he is the only horse in this field who may significantly benefit from softer conditions.
TIME LOCK
(Harry Charlton/William Buick)
11th of 12 behind Emily Upjohn on debut, Time Lock developed into an altogether more worthy filly last season, graduating to Group 3 honours with a smart success in Newmarket’s Dubai Stakes. That was over 1m4f, so the mare clearly has the requisite stamina to deal with Epsom’s test.
The issue is whether she is quite good enough, especially on soft. She has been runner-up on the surface before, but that was as an inexperienced three-year-old, and she ultimately disappointed on both efforts on soft or heavy last season. Her return was lively enough, but still not special enough to trouble those above her in the market if they turn up.
HAMISH
(William Haggas/Tom Marquand)
It seems perverse that the horse with form figures of 1111-1 should be the undisputed rank outsider in this field, but Hamish, despite being a remarkable and admirable horse, is definitely the one taking the biggest leap to take part here.
His only previous Group 1 appearance saw him go close behind Kyprios in the 1m6f Irish St Leger in 2022, since which he has won six of his seven starts between 1m4f-1m6f. However, only one has been achieved by more than two lengths and all have been Group 3s, so while he goes on the ground and has found the winning thread, he may find himself outclassed even in this relatively weak Group 1.
VERDICT
Emily Upjohn won a weaker edition a year ago, but has since lost on all three starts. Her Dubai fifth was far from disastrous, but it was nowhere near as her previous run fresh, when bolting up in this a year ago, while she also looks set to be exposed to soft ground for the first time. The ground holds no fears for Luxembourg, but the trip almost certainly does, whereas these conditions should be ideal for French raider FEED THE FLAME. He has a bit to prove on form with the top two, but if the aforementioned chinks in the armour appear for the two above, then he may well be good enough to capitalise.
- Feed The Flame
- Emily Upjohn
- Luxembourg
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