Her stable-mate Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is also among the 13 fillies to have been entered from Ballydoyle. Irish trainers Noel Meade, Jim Bolger and Dermot Weld have one entry apiece while Paddy Twomey has entered Purple Lily (Ire) (Calyx {GB}) and One Look (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}).

Ralph Beckett has the strongest representation among the British-based trainers with nine fillies engaged at this stage. These include the maiden winner Treasure (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), owned by the King and Queen. 

Britain's champion training partnership of John and Thady Gosden, which won last year's Oaks with Lady Bamford's Soul Sister (Ire), has five entries, including Cheveley Park Stud's Regal Jubilee (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who is currently third-favourite for the fillies' Classic. 

Making Dreams (GB) (Make Believe {GB}), the winner of Monday's G3 Prix Penelope at Saint-Cloud, is one of four entries for Karl Burke. She races in the colours of Nick Bradley Racing, the syndicate which fielded the 2021 Oaks runner-up Mystery Angel (Ire).

The sole French entry for the race is the Group 3-placed Dare To Dream (Fr) (Camelot {GB}), who is trained by Chantilly-based Irishman Gavin Hernon. 

Friday's card for the Betfred Derby meeting includes the G1 Coronation Cup, which could see a rematch between the first two home in last year's Derby, Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}).

The reigning Coronation Cup champion Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is also among the 23 entries, which include the St Leger winner Continuous (Ire) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) and German Horse of the Year Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}).

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Nicely into stride from gate three, the dark bay filly had early company to her inside in the form of Anna's Arabesque (Munnings), as odds-on L Street Lady (Munnings)–the lone main-track-only entrant–chased that pair from third. Unified Alliance cut the corner into the stretch and kept finding up front en route to an ultimately comfortable first black-type success.

Unified Alliance made the first six starts of her career for John Servis, winning her maiden at first asking at Parx last December before adding a romping 10 1/4-length allowance score in Bensalem Apr. 3. A distant last of four in the rained-off Memories of Silver S. at Aqueduct Apr. 29, she led into the final furlong of the June 11 Jersey Girl S. at Belmont, but was outfinished by L Street Lady and settled for second.

“We were sitting at the table with claps of thunder and bolts of lightning [last night], and I said, 'I could really do with this going on for four more hours just to really knock it on the head,'” the winning trainer said. “It didn't last four hours, but we got enough [rain]. She actually worked really, really well on the grass at Belmont, so we were definitely going to roll the dice and see if she could [run on] turf today, but obviously it cut up into an easier race when it came off.”

The fourth stakes winner for her Lane's End-based sire (by Candy Ride {Arg}), Unified Alliance is the only of her dam's foals to race and hails from the female family of GISW A. P. Adventure (A.P. Indy). Star Power did not produce a foal in any of the last three years and was bred to McKinzie this season. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

CORONATION CUP S., $139,500, Saratoga, 7-14, 3yo, f, 5 1/2f (off turf), 1:03.80, ft.
1–UNIFIED ALLIANCE, 120, f, 3, by Unified
1st Dam: Star Power, by Speightstown
2nd Dam: Sequel, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Nataliano, by Fappiano
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. ($170,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $60,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). O-Reagan Jack Racing; B-Calvin & Shane Crain (KY); T-Thomas Morley; J-Javier Castellano. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 7-3-2-1, $193,500.
2–Anna's Arabesque, 118, f, 3, Munnings–Classy Music, by Maclean's Music. ($220,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Rigney Racing, LLC; B-Patrick Waresk (KY); T-Philip A Bauer. $30,000.
3–L Street Lady, 122, f, 3, Munnings–Lady Gayle, by Scat Daddy. ($125,000 Ylg '21 FTKJUL). O-Madaket Stables LLC; B-T & G Farm of Kentucky LLC (KY); T-Brittany T Russell. $18,000.
Margins: 1HF, 6 3/4, 5 3/4. Odds: 2.75, 2.25, 0.95.
Also Ran: Wildhawk. Scratched: Bosserati, Love Appeals, Love Reigns (Ire), My Sweet Affair, Violet Gibson (Ire).

UNIFIED ALLIANCE wins the Coronation Cup Stakes with @jjcjockey aboard for trainer @morley_racing! Congratulations to the connections! #Saratoga pic.twitter.com/8DuWYHeBZs

— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) July 14, 2023

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“It is an honour to be asked to lay a wreath at Lester's statue on Derby Day,” Dettori said. “He was a hero of mine who then became a good friend and it's impossible to measure the impact he had on me, both as a person and a jockey throughout my life. I'm sure it will be a poignant and emotional moment for many reasons and I'm grateful to Epsom Downs for inviting me to lead this year's tributes to Lester on my last Derby Day as a jockey.”

Piggott rode in the Derby 36 times between 1951 and 1994 and won nine times, starting with Never Say Die in 1954 and followed by Crepello (1957), St Paddy (1960), Sir Ivor (1968), Nijinsky (1970), Roberto (1972), Empery (1976), The Minstrel (1977) and Teenoso (1983). Nicknamed 'The Long Fellow', Piggott also won the Oaks six times and the Coronation Cup on nine occasions.

“For so many of us, Lester Piggott is synonymous with the Derby and Epsom Downs like no other jockey before or since,” said Brian Finch, Chair of Epsom Downs Racecourse. “Lester sadly passed away just six days before the Derby in 2022 and we ran the Derby in his memory. For such a distinguished figure in the long history of the Derby, and with his unprecedented achievements unlikely to be matched, we felt it was important to establish a permanent annual commemoration and celebration of Lester's life on Derby Day.”

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“It was a big surprise,” Dettori said. “I was quite embarrassed when I first saw it, actually. I love it. It is amazing, I'm gobsmacked, really. It's the young me and the older me. It was my biggest thrill in my racing career, the Derby in 2015 on Golden Horn. I'm glad it is there forever now. It looks great.”

Dettori has enjoyed some of his most memorable moments at Epsom Downs over the years, earning two Derby victories with Authorized (Ire) in 2007 and Golden Horn in 2015. The 52-year-old announced at the end of last year that 2023 would be his last season in the saddle.

“I have mixed feelings,” Dettori said. “It's the end of an era, and it's nice to be recognised with something as big as this. Epsom is a special place for me. I've had some great memories, lots of nice winners–two Derby wins, five Coronations, five Oaks. It's been a good stamping ground for me. [Winning another Derby} would be amazing. I haven't got a ride yet, but it will be amazing.”

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“I think it will come too soon and there's no way I'm putting pressure on him at any stage,” the conditioner told At The Races's Luke Harvey. “He's swimming every day and doing loads of it and he's in the swimming pool with a high current and he goes through it like he's a jet plane. But I don't want to come back and go straight into having to gallop, gallop, and if I'm going to America for Breeders' Cup, I need to be 100% fit. It's coming quickly.”

Winner of the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot as a 3-year-old, Pyledriver earned a maiden Group 1 success in last year's G1 Coronation Cup on Derby weekend and closed the season with a runner-up effort in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase. A close fourth in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic this past March, he was beaten into second in defence of his Coronation Cup before defying odds of 18-1 at Ascot last time.

A trip to the Far East appears in the offing once more for Pyledriver, all things equal.

“Our options have always been Breeders' Cup, Japan Cup or Hong Kong,” Muir said. “The Japan Cup may well come right, and if so, we'll nominate him for the Japan Cup, and if we get there we get there. If not, we've got Hong Kong, if not, we have to wait for the Sheema Classic.”

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“Adayar was an intended runner some months ago but he just met with a minor setback in that he was coughing so I eased off him for a week,” said Charlie Appleby via a video release on the Godolphin website. “He has done very well in that week but I think we are going to be giving the Coronation a miss, as just fitness-wise I won't quite have him ready in time.”

The trainer plans instead to run Manobo (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who has been beaten just once in six starts when a close second in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup.

He continued, “We had always mooted that we wanted to drop [Manobo] back to a mile and a half. His preparation has gone very well towards the Coronation, he worked this morning and I am very pleased with him. He's definitely an intended runner for the Coronation. Adayar will most likely be heading towards the Prince of Wales's Stakes for the first start of his 4-year-old career.”

Appleby also issued an update on Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who on Saturday will bid to give his trainer an unprecedented hat-trick of wins in the 2000 Guineas, Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Irish 2000 Guineas with three different horses when he lines up for the latter at the Curragh.

“He had his last piece of work this morning and William [Buick] sat on him. He looked great. It's all systems got for the Curragh on Saturday,” said the trainer.

Appleby also has two potential chances to win the Derby for the third time, having left in Lingfield Derby Trial runner-up Walk Of Stars (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Blue Riband Trial winner Nahanni (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at the most recent forfeit stage.

He said, “Walk Of Stars has most definitely come forward mentally for that run at Lingfield. He's a big playboy still but we're most definitely pleased with what we've seen since his run.

“Nahanni hasn't been seen [on the racecourse] since his 'win and you're in' at Epsom in the Blue Riband Trial. Physically, I couldn't be any happier than with how he's done. He's just picking up the gears now and we're looking forward to them both going to Epsom.”

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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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“If he wins all those, we'll decide where we go after that,” Muir said. “He's been cantering since early January and doing two steady canters for the last four to six weeks. He still moves like a ballet dancer.”

Muir said the bay stayed in his Lambourn stable over the winter.

“He had a fantastic break,” he said. “His break was an exercise on the horse walker in the morning, and then he went out in the field for four hours every afternoon. He then went into small paddock on his own in the afternoons–which was lovely, when there were no others out–and he loved it, acting like a stallion in a stallion paddock. He thrived and put on about 55-60 kilos.

“He was still a boy last year. Now he's turning into a man. He's got his strength very nearly. This year, and next year, should be when he's at his peak. I'm looking forward to it now.”

Pyledriver was last seen finishing seventh of 10 over the heavy going in the G1 Champion S. on Oct. 17.

“I wasn't disappointed with his last run,” Muir said. “He was still a big baby and still finished seventh in the Champion S. and finished in front of Mishriff, and the way we rode him on the day nothing came from behind. We decided to ride him the same, but I feel being forward on the day was a big advantage. From that day on, he was on his holidays. We lost nothing in defeat. He did everything great for us. Personally I feel the Leger, in which he ran a fantastic race, left its mark. It took more out of him than we realised.”

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He retires with four G1 victories to his name, three of which he won this year – and all in outstanding fashion: The Coronation Cup, the Eclipse and the Juddmonte International.

Ghaiyyath was a high-class juvenile, breaking his maiden at Newmarket by five lengths before going on to take the G3 Autumn Stakes in October 2017.

Charlie Appleby's charge won the G3 Prix du Prince d'Orange in an unbeaten three-year-old campaign, before reappearing at four to win the G2 Prix d'Harcourt.

Last September, Ghaiyyath recorded his first G1 victory in sensational style, winning the Grosser Preis von Baden by an astounding 14 lengths. This was the best performance in Germany this century.

Ghaiyyath has flourished this year, kicking off his 2020 campaign with another wide-margin Group win, this time taking the Dubai Millennium Stakes at Meydan by eight and a half lengths.

Upon his return to Europe, he added a second top-flight victory to his record, breaking the course record at Newmarket in the G1 Coronation Cup, beating Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck.

Better was still to come, as he beat a field of the highest class in the G1 Eclipse, including Enable, earning him a Timeform rating of 133.

His fourth G1 win came at York this August, where he won a vintage renewal of the Juddmonte International by three lengths, once again making every yard of the running.

Charlie Appleby reported that the plan had been to look towards the Breeders' Cup but in preparation for the race, after a piece of routine work at the weekend, the horse showed signs of soreness behind. After veterinary investigation, the horse was found to be muscle sore.

Charlie Appleby said: “Ghaiyyath has had a fantastic career, winning nine of his 13 races. His high-class cruising speed and relentless style of galloping was a joy to watch and as I have said before, this year he came together both physically and mentally and looked the finished article. It is obviously disappointing not to be taking him to the Breeders' Cup but the exertions of a long season, which started in Dubai in January, were starting to show and the decision has been made to retire him.

“He was an outstanding part of the Moulton Paddocks team and I know that his numerous top-level successes gave our Principal, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, a great deal of pleasure.”

Joe Osborne, Managing Director of Godolphin in Ireland, said, “Ghaiyyath is a great addition to our roster: his superior ability as a racehorse combined with his looks and his pedigree will make him a sought-after option for breeders. We are delighted he will be standing at Kildangan Stud next season.”

Ghaiyyath is bred on the same hugely successful Dubawi/ Galileo cross that has also produced Classic winner and sire of the moment Night Of Thunder.

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Ghaiyyath started his season with an eye-catching performance in the Dubai Millennium Stakes Sponsored by Jaguar (G3), which he won by 8 ½ lengths at Meydan. The 5-year-old completed the 2000 metre contest in 2:00.33, setting a new track record in the process.

He returned to Europe for his next start and continued his winning ways, taking the Hurworth Bloodstock Coronation Cup (G1) over Anthony Van Dyck (IRE) [121] and Stradivarius (IRE) [125]. Ghaiyyath then earned his rating of 127 in his most recent race, a 2 ¼-length win over Enable and Japan (GB) [122] in the Coral-Eclipse (G1).

Ranked co-third are Japanese champion Almond Eye (JPN) [124] and Australia's Nature Strip (AUS) [124]. Almond Eye made her first start of the year in the Victoria Mile (G1) and won by four lengths to earn her rating. Nature Strip received his 124 after sprinting to a two-length score in the TJ Smith Stakes (G1), which he won after taking the Hyland Race Colours Challenge Stakes (G2) earlier in the year.

Lord North (IRE) [123] and Tom's d'Etat (USA) [123] are in the co-fifth position. Lord North started his year with a victory in the Betway Brigadier Gerard Stakes (G3) before impressing 10 days later with a 3 ¾ length win over Addeybb (IRE) [122] in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot. Addeybb came into that contest off of victories in the Ranvet Stakes (G1) and LONGINES Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) in Australia. Tom's d'Etat, meanwhile, is the highest rated dirt horse in the world after his 4 ¼ length victory in the Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs.

In addition to Addeybb and Japan, three other horses are ranked as co-seventh with an equal rating of 122. Hong Kong's champion Beauty Generation (NZ) [122] added the Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (G1) and Chairman's Trophy (G2) to his list of accomplishments this year; Contrail (JPN) [122] is the highest rated 3-year-old colt in the world after winning the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) (G1) and Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (G1) to remain undefeated; and LOVE (IRE) [122] is the highest rated 3-year-old filly in the world after conquering all to win the Investec Oaks (G1) by nine lengths following her 4 ¼-length victory in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas Stakes (G1).

The highest rated 3-year-old on dirt is Tiz the Law (USA) [121], who won the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) by 3 3/4 lengths after wins in the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) and Holy Bull Stakes (G3).

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