Emily Upjohn is getting ready to defend her Coronation Cup title when she returns to Epsom. A narrowly beaten runner-up in the 2022 Oaks, John and Thady Gosden's excellent mare, performed even better over the same course and distance this term when she easily defeated Westover under Frankie Dettori.
The daughter of Sea The Stars went on to push Paddington close in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown before failing to fire in the King George at Ascot three weeks later. She did not race again until finishing fifth in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in late March, behind Rebel's Romance.
The five-year-old should be at the concert pitch when she lines up at Epsom again on May 31 after completing that run.
“Emily Upjohn is in top form and we’re aiming at the Coronation Cup at Epsom,” said John Gosden. “The Coronation is the plan and that is where she will run next.”
The Clarehaven handler is not sure regarding the next assignment for stable stalwart Lord North, who was well beaten in his bid for a fourth win in the Dubai Turf, proved he is not done with just yet when third in Friday’s bet365 Mile at Sandown.
“We’ll see where we go with him, but he’s in good form and enjoying his racing,” Gosden added. “He had to run in the Winter Derby over a furlong too far at a mile and three at Southwell and the ground was very fast in Dubai, which isn’t entirely his cup of tea now, but he ran great on Friday. He loves his training at home and William (Buick) said he loved his racing at Sandown, so we will keep ticking along.”
Regarding the next assignments for Beeley, Gosden said: “I’m going to go straight to the Cheshire Oaks with her now if she’s in good form. She needs a trip and she needs racing. We had her met at the start straight away (at Sandown) and we had a little coupling that we clipped on before the antics started and she was very good. She was mounted in the stalls and she had an opinion on that. She’s a very opinionated, charming filly to be around, but she keeps you on your toes and she’s certainly had us on our toes this year.”