Elsewhere on the Newbury card, Shadwell's William Haggas trainee Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) returns from a gelding operation and is the star attraction in a five-runner renewal of the £70,000 G3 Dubai Duty Free Legacy Cup (Arc Trial). The G1 Coronation Cup and G2 Princess of Wales's S. runner-up will be confronted by last month's G3 Rose of Lancaster S. winner Foxes Tales (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), from the in-form Andrew Balding yard. Shadwell is also represented by Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the £70,000 G3 Dubai International Airport World Trophy over an extended five furlongs.

Juvenile pattern-race action also features on Ayr's Gold Cup undercard with Ger Lyons's unbeaten Listed Curragh S. victrix Head Mistress (Ire) (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}) putting her perfect record on the line against Jaber Abdullah's similarly undefeated Hala Hala Athmani (GB) (Dabirsim {Fr}) in the £40,000 G3 Firth of Clyde Fillies' S. over six furlongs. The latter, who posted an impressive 5 1/2-length tally at Carlisle last month, is a half-sister to G1 Diamond Jubilee S. and G1 Haydock Sprint Cup hero Hello Youmzain (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}) and G1 Deutsches Derby and G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin third Royal Youmzain (Fr) (Youmzain {Ire}).

In Ireland, His Highness The Aga Khan's homebred 4-year-old filly Zawara (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) makes a swift comeback after registering a close-up fourth in last week's G3 Kilternan S. and is a leading contender for the €50,000 G3 Denny Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Fillies S. over an extended nine furlongs at Gowran Park. The 16-runner contest also features G2 Kilboy Estate S. runner-up April Showers (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), G1 Irish 1000 Guineas eighth Sense of Style (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), last term's G3 Weld Park S. victrix Elysium (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) and 14-length juvenile maiden winner Cartouche (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) making her belated sophomore debut.

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“We were very pleased with him [at Goodwood] and he proved he's worth a shot at a better race, I think,” said Haggas. “There's the [G1] Jacques le Marois [on Aug. 15], which I think is too quick, so it's the Moulin on Sept. 5 or the back-up is the [G2] Celebration Mile [at Goodwood on Aug. 28], but I really want to go for a Group 1 race with him now.

“We have to go to France, and that's complicated in its own way. If all goes well in Paris, then it's the [G1] QEII or nothing–if it's bottomless at Ascot he probably won't go.”

Haggas also provided an update on this season's G3 John Porter S. and G3 Aston Park S. victor Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was recently gelded after finishing second in the G1 Coronation Cup and G2 Princess of Wales's S.

“He's been at Shadwell, recovering from his castration, and he's been swimming,” Haggas said. “I feel if he can learn to swim, which apparently he's very proficient at, then if he does go to Dubai next March they have a 100-metre swimming pool in the quarantine centre he can use. He would be able to swim there rather than go on the track, which is quite firm.

Haggas said the 4-year-old could have targets even further afield.

“Things have got to be discussed, [but] he might go with Addeybb to Sydney to run in the Tancred S. [in April]. He could be quite useful in that sort of race.”

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“Al Aasy had every chance to go and win the race last week and you've got to take the rough with the smooth,” Gold said. “We're going to give him a bit of a break and we're probably going to geld him. We know he handles soft ground, so we'll give him a few weeks off and then bring him back in the autumn. The King George is definitely out.

“He's got plenty of talent, he's just a bit of a thug. Going out on the track, he makes it difficult for whoever is on board. Of course we could keep him entire and hope that he's going to make a stallion somewhere in due course, but it's more important for Sheikha Hissa and her family to have these horses to race now. This horse could win a lot of money in Dubai or Australia or wherever.”

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A triple Group 1 winner last year, Addeybb has not been seen since returning this spring from his latest stint in Australia, where he defended his title in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. and finished second in the G1 Ranvet S., both times over ground drier than his preference. Addeybb romped in last year's G1 Champion S. over the heavy Ascot going.

“He's fine and he's ready to race. We've had this in mind since he got back from Australia so we're pleased to be there,” Haggas told Sky Sports Racing. “I'd be pretty loath to take him out because he needs to race. You can't keep practising on the [Newmarket] Heath and in the nets and not get out in the middle. He needs a run.”

The Eclipse has come under some criticism this week for its small field size, but Haggas said he think it will be an intriguing clash of the generations.

“Here you've got a really top-class speedier 3-year-old [St Mark's Basilica] who's won two Classics and won the Dewhurst last year, so he's obviously a very good horse. You've got Mishriff, who won a French Derby and really excelled in Saudi Arabia and Dubai, and then our fella who keeps battling away and bashing away. He's as reliable a yardstick as you can get. If the ground came up soft, heavy in places, our chance would increase and maybe St Mark's Basilicia's wouldn't, so who knows what's going to happen.”

Haggas also provided an update on Shadwell's G3 Hampton Court S. winner Mohaafeth (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who goes next to the G2 York S. on July 24. Mohaafeth will be ridden by Dane O'Neill, with first-call stable jockey Jim Crowley required at Ascot for Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S.

“We knocked the Eclipse on the head last weekend and he's going to go for the Sky Bet race at York on July 24, which is unfortunate for Jim, but good for Dane, because that's the same day as the King George,” Haggas said. “The horse that won the King Edward [Alenquer] is hopefully going for the [G1] Grand Prix de Paris on July 14, so we've got a busy few weeks coming up.”

The G1 Coronation S. runner-up Al Aasy has the option to warm up for the King George in next week's G2 Princess of Wales's S., but his trainer said it is likely he will head straight to Ascot.

“The King George is very much the plan. Whether he goes for the Princess of Wales's S., I'm not sure–I doubt it,” Haggas said. “He'll probably go straight for the King George. He worked beautifully again yesterday and is on target to go where we want him. We just have to decide whether going to Newmarket might take the edge off him for Ascot, which wouldn't be sensible. My gut feeling is he'll probably go straight to Ascot.”

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It was Pyledriver, a horse who couldn't be sold for £10,000 (about US$12,000) two years ago, who won the war in the end for trainer William Muir. Having lost the lead with two furlongs to go, he showed incredible heart to knuckle down and deny Al Aasy at the wire. William Haggas' runner looked to have done enough in the closing stages but was just denied victory.

Things hadn't gone to plan early doors for Al Aasy having missed the break. He was settled in at the rear and the strong pace helped him find a rhythm.

The eventual winner Pyledriver was happy enough in midfield in the opening stanzas. Rounding the turn the race began to take shape, and it was Martyn Dwyer who seized the initiative down the straight. He opted to send his mount on and had all his rivals beat, bar the closing Al Aasy, at three furlongs out.

Al Aasy made effortless ground coming down the straight, with Jim Crowley's urgings sparking rapid progress as they came to the two furlong marker. He breezed past Aidan O'Brien's Japan, and it became a two horse race.

The crowds returning to Epsom for the first time this year were not disappointed. As Al Aasy moved to within a neck of his rival with seemingly plenty to give. He took a narrow lead and this looked for a moment to have settled the race.

However, Pyledriver was in no mood for settling for 2nd and knuckled down in the final stages to get his head back in front in the final strides to claim the Coral Coronation Cup.

Welcome cheers rang around Epsom, and nobody was more delighted than jockey Martyn Dwyer, who said after the race: “I'm so proud of the horse. On a personal level, there's times when I've hated racing. But days like this I can't describe in words.”

A fairytale success for the horse 'nobody wanted'

Pyledriver lands a first Group 1 for William Muir in the @Coral Coronation Cup under a great ride from Martin Dwyer#TheOaks pic.twitter.com/8AEsH0eR91

— Epsom Downs Racecourse (@EpsomRacecourse) June 4, 2021

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Owned by the Nick Bradley Racing syndicate, which has already had a Classic place-getter this season in Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}), Mystery Angel was last seen running fourth to Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. at York. The first four home in that contest all stand their ground at Epsom. 

Snowfall is currently second favourite for the Oaks behind her stable-mate Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who has raced just twice in her life and was beaten just over a length when fourth in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. The duo could be joined by up to three stable-mates from Ballydoyle, with the list of potential runners for the fillies' Classic now stretching to 15 following the latest confirmation stage.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Musidora runner-up Noon Star (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) could renew her rivalry with Snowfall, along with third-placed Teona (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) from the Roger Varian stable. Her fellow Newmarket resident, the 1000 Guineas runner-up Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), had a spin round Epsom on Monday and is now an intended runner for Jane Chapple-Hyam.

Archie Watson and Hollie Doyle team up for their first Oaks contender with the Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Sherbet Lemon (Lemon Drop Kid), who could again face the second and third home, Save A Forest (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Ocean Road (Ire) (Australia {GB}), for Varian and Hugo Palmer respectively. 

Varian could have as many as three runners as Cheshire Oaks runner-up Zeyaadah (GB) (Tamayuz {GB}) remains in contention, as does the filly who beat her, the Mark Johnston-trained Dubai Fountain (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).

Eleven horses remain in the potential line-up for the second Group 1 contest on Friday's Epsom card, the Coral Coronation Cup. The list is headed by the progressive Al Aasy (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), the impressive winner of two Group 3 contests this season for William Haggas and Shadwell.

He could take on last year's Derby and Oaks winners Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), while Arc runner-up In Swoop (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) is a potential runner from France for Francis Graffard.

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