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Gosden Talks Up Emily Upjohn For Oaks At Gallops Morning

John Gosden has labelled Cazoo Oaks favourite Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) as being in the same league as Taghrooda (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who he first won the Epsom Classic with in 2014, after overseeing the unbeaten filly work at the track on Monday morning.

Emily Upjohn is a general even-money shot to provide Gosden with a fourth Oaks success following a stylish victory in the G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. at York earlier this month.

Gosden, who shares his training licence with his son Thady, also won the Oaks with Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in 2017 and Anapurna (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in 2019, and is set to be double-handed in this year's race after Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was confirmed for Epsom on Saturday.

Speaking at the the Cazoo Derby Gallops Morning, Gosden said, “I think she [Emily Upjohn] is in the Taghrooda league. It would be silly to start talking about Enable as that would be completely over the top.”

He added, “It is her ability to travel and quicken over a trip that reminds me of Taghrooda. I know they were playing, if you like, coming down the hill at a half-speed but even the way she quickened today between the three and the two was impressive.”

Emily Upjohn has raced just three times in her career and, according to Gosden, the experience of Monday's dry run around Epsom will stand to the short-priced favourite come June 3.

Gosden said, “Frankie (Dettori) felt that for a filly who has had three races in her life it would be nice to come here and just have a look and feel of the track, which is all that you are doing as you are not trying to do any exploratory work.

“She behaved great, moved very well, got her leads right coming down the hill and quickened up nicely. I think she will come on a lot for that mentally. She is not a filly who raced a lot at two as she only had the one run at Wolverhampton, but you can see by the size of the frame of her why we were patient.”

He added, “She has filled out well and she has rather enjoyed her morning out here. I would hope she has got the speed for the Oaks as she has shown an ability to quicken. The other day in the Musidora she quickened well there at York.

“She did it well at Wolverhampton and at Sandown she sat very handy, then lengthened off the front. She has a change of gear.”

Gosden's Oaks hand is strengthened by the fact that Nashwa, a general 5-1 chance, is second only to her stablemate Emily Upjohn in the betting, with the trainer hopeful rather than confident that she will get the trip at Epsom.

He said, “They [Nashwa and Emily Upjohn] have never worked together and it won't be my intention to do so. This filly [Emily Upjohn] is guaranteed to stay a mile and a half. With Nashwa the speed she has shown it wouldn't be guaranteed she gets a mile and a half.”

Nashwa's participation in the Cazoo Oaks also throws up the possibility of a first ever Classic success for a female jockey, with Hollie Doyle set to ride.

Gosden added: “When Mr Imad Al Sagar asked me about Hollie two or three years ago I said she is a superb jockey that is very talented and horses run for her.

“She has an incredible work ethic. She reminds me a lot of Julie Krone. From my point of view she has been the ultimate jockey type and so I said it is a great idea if you retain her and he did.

“She looks at every detail of everything. She does her research properly and is a great race rider and if it came off it would be wonderful.”

He added, “You had a young lady win the US Open and that captured the imagination in this country and anything to that extent like this is particularly positive for the sport. It has had an image of being a bit crusty and clubby, but it is not.”

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Westover On Track For Derby But Eydon Not A Certain Starter

Ralph Becket is a man who knows a thing or two about Epsom glory, given he trained Look Here (GB) (Hernando {GB}) and Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) to win the Oaks, and he will be bidding to make the Cazoo Derby breakthrough with Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was reported to have had a positive experience at the track on Monday.

Meanwhile, Roger Varian revealed that 2000 Guineas fourth Eydon (Ire) (Olden Times {GB}) was not a certain starter in the Derby, despite the fact the trainer was impressed with the colt's exercise at the same gallops morning.

Westover, winner of the G3 Classic Trial at Sandown last month, is a general 16-1 chance to win the Derby, with Beckett providing an upbeat bulletin on the colt after he breezed around Epsom.

Beckett said, “He got his act together and came down the hill and round the bend as well as we wanted him to and he galloped out strong as well. I thought it was good work. It was all positive as these things can go the wrong way as well.

“They went a nice gallop and he finished well. I'm not sure he is that bothered about the ground. I thought he would handle it when he ran on slow ground in the Silver Tankard at Pontefract and he did and I think fast ground is no problem for him either.”

He added: “It doesn't look like the trip will be an issue. There was a bit of a question mark over his full brother Fabilis (GB). There was a bit of debate if he would get a mile and half and he looked really good the only time we ran him over a mile and a half, but he got sold straight after it so I've no doubts he will get it.

“His trial was a long time ago but I didn't really see any benefit of running him again. I thought the benefit would be from running him here. The benefit was in an away day and not another run.”

A late decision will be made on Eydon's Derby participation, according to Varian, who suggested the Prix du Jockey Club was also firmly in the mix for the colt.

Varian said, “David (Egan) was very upbeat and happy with the feel he got from the horse and how he handled the undulations.

“He switched leads at the right times and what we wanted to achieve today I think that box has been ticked and he looks in good order to me.

“He is still in the Prix du Jockey Club and is not a guaranteed Epsom starter. He could take in either and he will be left in both races and likely it could be a late call, so for punters that is worth noting.”

He added, “Prince Faisal (owner) will ultimately decide but we will digest what the horse has done this morning and see how he comes out of his work. It is a lovely position to be in as he is in both races. He gets trained for the same weekend so we don't have to alter the training regime, and it affords us the luxury we can make the late call.”

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Adayar To Miss Coronation Cup; Heads To Ascot

Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will not return to the scene of his greatest triumph for the G1 Coronation Cup after a bout of coughing held up his preparation for his intended comeback at Epsom on June 3. Last year's Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. winner will head instead to Royal Ascot.

“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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Stone Age The Prime Choice for Moore

ROSEGREEN, Ireland–Ryan Moore will find it difficult to ride anything other than Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Cazoo Derby, according to Aidan O'Brien, who may be without the ace–Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB})–in his Epsom pack, but expects to run up to six colts as he bids for a record-extending ninth win in the race on June 4.

Stone Age didn't just open the door to a tilt at the Derby in winning the G3 Derby Trial at Leopardstown on Sunday, he kicked it open and announced himself as a leading player in demolishing the field and skyrocketing to a general 5-2 favourite for Epsom glory in the process.

O'Brien's breakthrough Derby winner, Galileo (Ire), charted a similar path to Epsom by winning that same Derby Trial at Leopardstown, and the master of Ballydoyle admits it could be hard for Moore to ride anything other than Stone Age next month.

“I think he [Ryan] would find it hard to not ride the horse from yesterday [Stone Age],” O'Brien said on Monday. “I imagine Ryan will find it hard not to ride him.”

Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Star Of India (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), impressive winners of their respective trials at Chester, Lingfield Derby Trial winner United Nations (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and 2,000 Guineas disappointment Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}), will give Moore something to think about, but O'Brien revealed there would have been no decision to make if Luxembourg remained in the picture.

The long-time ante-post favourite for the Derby, Luxembourg ran a cracker to finish third in the 2,000 Guineas but has been ruled out until at least the autumn after picking up a muscular problem behind.

O'Brien explained, “I am disappointed for the lads. He is a very good horse. I don't think Ryan would have had a choice to make if he were fit.”

When a comparison was made between Luxembourg and St Nicholas Abbey (Ire), O'Brien added, “He probably has more scope than St Nicholas Abbey had. St Nick ran well in the Guineas [sixth] as well but he didn't run as well as this lad did. Luxembourg ran extremely well to make the ground up and finish third. We didn't really see what he was able to do.”

Despite not managing to win in five starts at two, O'Brien outlined how that experience stood to the new Derby favourite Stone Age, who is now unbeaten in his two starts this term and heads to Epsom as the leading Ballydoyle challenger.

O'Brien said, “It'd be hard not to be impressed with what Stone Age did at Leopardstown. You'd like to have something lead him but there was no point in messing him about. Ryan let him bowl along and he was very impressive.

“He has a lot of experience from his juvenile days. He was happy to get a lead at two. He'd have learnt a lot at two. We were running him and teaching him. He learnt a lot in those races.”

It seems somewhat ironic that O'Brien will face some of the stiffest competition in the Derby from his son Donnacha who appears to have outstanding claims of making his own breakthrough in the race with impressive Ballysax winner Piz Badile (Ire) (Ulysses {Ire}).

Respecting the opposition, O'Brien said, “We always do our best to win no matter what. I am always happy if they [Donnacha or Joseph] beat us. They are rivals, one hundred per cent, but I am always delighted when we get beaten by them. Believe me, there's no inch given anywhere.”

O'Brien also holds the key to the Oaks and nominated Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a sister to Minding (Ire) and the general 7-2 favourite for the race, as the pick of his team for the fillies' Classic.

Tuesday overcame inexperience to finish strongly for third in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and O'Brien is convinced that there's more to come.

He said, “Tuesday doesn't turn three until the first week in June and, to be doing what she's doing is unreal. Her run in the Guineas would suggest that she's crying out for a step up in trip. She's still only a baby and we are thinking of running in the Irish Guineas and then going on to the Oaks, just like what Minding did.”

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