Emily Upjohn stakes Oaks claim with Musidora win
EMILY Upjohn was a runaway winner of the Group Three Tattersalls Musidora Stakes for Frankie Dettori and John and Thady Gosden.
The filly pulled hard in the first half of the race and was heavily restrained by Dettori until two furlongs from home, when she was allowed to go forward and pass the race leader.
The daughter of Sea The Stars then accelerated away from her four rivals, crossing the line five and a half lengths ahead of Life Of Dreams as the 4-7 favourite.
Prior to the race Emily Upjohn was a 7-2 chance for the Cazoo Oaks and was cut to 6-4 favourite following the success by Betfair.
Gosden said: “It’s interesting that Frankie said the ground was quite tiring after the little bit of rain they’ve had on it. A few of them were struggling four or five out.
“Frankie waited to go and she’s picked up well and looked like a mile and a half would be right up her alley. She couldn’t have done it any better really.
“She was saddled in the stables at Sandown and saddled in the stables at Wolverhampton, so it’s the first time she’s been saddled in front of a crowd today and she got a bit edgy. But I think she settled after a furlong and found a lovely rhythm, which is what it’s all about.”
While the Clarehaven handler is confident in Emily Upjohn’s ability to handle the undulations of Epsom, he plans to give her a pre-race visit to the track for the Cazoo Derby Gallops Morning on May 23.
He added: “She’s very well balanced, but there’s no reason we won’t get some sausage and bacon on the breakfast morning at Epsom. We can have a canter round the track there to see how she handles it.”
Comparing Emily Upjohn to his 2012 Musidora winner The Fugue, Gosden added: “She’s in that class. The Fugue was extremely unlucky in the Oaks (finished third) as she got knocked over - the less said about that the better. I would say this filly is
Fontwell - (five-year record)
Top Trainers (with runners): G L Moore 69-311 (22.2%), C Gordon 25-164 (15.2%), P Nicholls 21-57 (36.8%) J Snowden 20-79 (25.3%), N Mulholland 18-149 (12.1%), Seamus Mullins 11-126 (8.7%) E Williams
10-49 (20.4%), N Henderson 9-28 (32.1%), A King 7-34 (20.6%) R Walford 7-54 (13%), C Longsdon 6-30 (20%), Dr R Newland 5-40 (12.5%). Top Jockeys (with mounts): Jamie Moore 38-193 (19.7%), Gavin Sheehan 25-102 (24.5%), Tom Cannon 25-155 (16.1%) Sam Twiston-Davies 11-64 (17.2%), Page Fuller 11-82 (13.4%), Tom Scudamore 10-59 (16.9%)
Nick Scholfield 10-110 (9.1%), Niall Houlihan 9-71 (12.7%), Lorcan Williams 6-16 (37.5%) Jonjo O’Neill Jr 6-28 (21.4%), Michael Nolan 5-39 (12.8%), Stan Sheppard 4-17 (23.5%). Favourites: 219-595 (36.8%). Newmarket - (five-year record) Top Trainers (with runners): C Appleby 55-200 (27.5%), J & T Gosden 41-242 (16.9%), R Varian 34-190 (17.9%) W Haggas 23-186 (12.4%), R in that class. The Fugue was a mileand-a-quarter filly, but this filly wants a mile and a half.
“We’ve been lucky to win the Oaks three times and she very much deserves to be in that league.”
Dettori said: “She was keen early on, but she’s in control and you want her like that. The ground is a lot deeper than you guys think. Everybody was struggling from four furlongs out and I kept her together and from two-and-a-half to the winning post, I didn’t see another horse.
“She won in good style by five and a half lengths - what more do you want? We never had any worries about staying a mile and a half.”
Dettori ranks Emily Upjohn favourably among his previous Oaks
Beckett 22-131 (16.8%), C & M Johnston 21-204 (10.3%) A Balding 20-193 (10.4%), R Hannon 18-280 (6.4%), G Boughey 9-50 (18%) S & E Crisford 8-55 (14.6%), C Cox 7-63 (11.1%), C Wall 6-40 (15%).
Top Jockeys (with mounts): William Buick 67-268 (25%), Andrea Atzeni 18-129 (13.9%), Joe Fanning 8-63 (12.7%) Dane O’Neill 7-49 (14.3%), Adam Kirby 7-83 (8.4%), Rob Hornby 6-58 (10.3%) Kieran Shoemark 6-68 (8.8%), Jack Mitchell 5-56 (8.9%), Georgia Dobie 4-13 (30.8%) Hayley Turner 4-56 (7.1%), Callum Shepherd 3-51 (5.9%), Hollie Doyle 3-83 (3.6%). Favourites: 175-570 (30.7%).
Perth - (five-year record)
Top Trainers (with runners): G Elliott 41-119 (34.5%), L Russell 27-298 (9.1%), D McCain 18-66 (27.3%) F O’Brien 14-57 (24.6%), N Mulholland 14-62 (22.6%), O Murphy 14-66 (21.2%) R Dobbin 12-54 (22.2%), K Dalgleish 12-71 (16.9%), J Goldie 10-56 (17.9%) N Richards 10-139 (7.2%), L Morgan 6-41 (14.6%), S Crawford 6-75 (8%). winners, adding: “She’s getting there. Enable won at Chester and at this stage she was probably on the same par. With every race this filly is improving, we’ve liked her since day one and I’m delighted - we can sleep nicely tonight!”
Alex Merriam, Charlie Appleby’s assistant, trainer of the runner-up, said: “We were pleased, that was only her second run and I think she’s run into a very nice horse.
“We’ll see how she is and hope things go to plan. The Oaks might still be a possibility but I haven’t spoken to Charlie yet.
“She’d either run there or the Ribblesdale, I’d let Charlie speak to His Highness (Sheikh Mohammed) and we’ll see how we go.”
Top Jockeys (with mounts): Brian Hughes 51-261 (19.5%), Sean Bowen 21-62 (33.9%), Derek Fox 14-144 (9.7%) Sean Quinlan 13-117 (11.1%), Craig Nichol 12-97 (12.4%), Stephen Mulqueen 10-92 (10.9%) Danny McMenamin 10-96 (10.4%), Daryl
Jacob 9-46 (19.6%), Aidan Coleman 8-43 (18.6%) Conor O’Farrell 8-101 (7.9%), Harry Reed 7-35 (20%), Thomas Dowson 5-50 (10%).
Favourites: 163-443 (36.8%). Salisbury - (five-year record)
Top Trainers (with runners): R Hannon 23-272 (8.5%), R Beckett 19-120 (15.8%), A Balding 19-147 (12.9%) C Cox 16-94 (17%), M Channon 14-98 (14.3%), J & T Gosden 12-49 (24.5%) R Varian 12-62 (19.4%), B Millman 12-120 (10%), C Hills 8-53 (15.1%) E Walker 8-58 (13.8%), E J-Houghton 8-76 (10.5%), M Bell 7-32 (21.9%).
Top Jockeys (with mounts):
Hector Crouch 19-93 (20.4%), David Probert 17-107 (15.9%), Jim Crowley 15-100 (15%) Charles Bishop 13-103 (12.6%), Robert Havlin 11-51 (21.6%),
Pat Dobbs 7-59 (11.9%) David Egan 7-66 (10.6%), Martin Harley 5-34 (14.7%), Shane W Kelly 3-40 (7.5%) Luke Morris 3-46 (6.5%), Callum Hutchinson 2-5 (40%), Joshua Bryan 2-15 (13.3%).
Favourites: 140-434 (32.3%).
York - (five-year record)
Top Trainers (with runners):
R Fahey 32-416 (7.7%), T Easterby 29-364 (8%), J & T Gosden 26-92 (28.3%) W Haggas 24-159 (15.1%), C & M Johnston 24-191 (12.6%), D O’Meara 19-301 (6.3%) M Dods 18-130 (13.8%), A Balding 16-120 (13.3%), R Hannon 14-124 (11.3%) K Ryan 12-226 (5.3%), K Dalgleish 9-77 (11.7%), N Tinkler 9-119 (7.6%).
Top Jockeys (with mounts): Daniel Tudhope 26-228 (11.4%), Frankie Dettori 17-67 (25.4%), David Allan 17-171 (9.9%) Tom Marquand 16-97 (16.5%), James Doyle 15-89 (16.9%), Paul Hanagan 14-170 (8.2%) Ryan Moore 13-110 (11.8%), Silvestre De Sousa 12-123 (9.8%), Jason Hart 11-92 (12%) Callum Rodriguez 10-70 (14.3%), Jamie Spencer 7-61 (11.5%),
David Simcock, trainer of the third, Ching Shih, said: “Obviously the winner is pretty smart, it doesn’t take a genius to work that out.
“I said before the race they were just five novice winners and they were all in the same boat.
“The winner looks exceptional but our filly has acquitted herself well. She was the only one out of the first four not to have had a run and she’ll come forward for it.
“I think when she gets her mother’s (Madame Chiang) ground (soft) she’ll improve for it as it will actually make her quicker, if that doesn’t sound stupid. I don’t know where she will go but it won’t be Epsom unless the winner scares everything off.”
James Sullivan 7-74 (9.5%). Favourites: 148-513 (28.8%).
The following horses have cheek pieces:
Fontwell: 5.10 Sublime Heights(*), 5.45 African Sun, Gibraltarian, 6.20 Richie Valentine 6.55 George Bancroft(*), Touchthesoul.
Newmarket: 5.25 Doolily(*), Lucia Joy, 8.20 Chief’s Will, Wild Mountain. Perth: 2.15 Sanosuke, 2.45 Our Ted(*), 3.20 Frau Georgia, 3.55 Bigbadmattie(*) Fire Away, Notre Pari, 4.55 Boy’s On Tour, Furax.
Salisbury: 1.00 Major Valentine, 3.45 Greatness Awaits, Udaberri, 4.18 Top Exhibit.
York: 1.50 Good Effort, Ready Freddie Go, 3.00 Garden Oasis, Redarna What’s The Story, 4.10 Last Crusader, 5.20 Frankenstella, Hydroplane.
(*): horses wearing cheek pieces for the first time.
The following horses have tongue straps tomorrow: Fontwell: 4.37 Hell Red, 5.45 Mickyh,
Gibraltarian, Whatcoloristhewind, 6.20 Dogon, En Coeur, Millies Mite, 6.55 Touchthesoul, 7.30 Soldier Of Love. Newmarket: 8.20 Giewont.
Perth: 2.15 Battle Frontier, Cirque Royal, Harel Du Marais, 2.45 Champagnesuperover, Champagne Sparkles, Our Ted, 3.20 Bafana Blue, Heavey, Frau Georgia, 3.55 Fire Away, Bigbadmattie, Garde Des Champs, 4.25 Roma Bangkok, Muhtamar, 4.55 Fresh New Dawn, Victory Echo, Get With It, Fourth Of July, 5.30 She’s A Rocca, The Girl That Sang, That’s Your Lottie.
York: 1.50 Copper Knight, 5.20 Hydroplane.
No horses are visored for the first time.
Horses blinkered for the first time:
Fontwell: 7.30 Soldier Of Love Perth: 3.20 Eaglehill
Salisbury: 3.45 Geelong; 4.18 Dream By Day
Longest travellers: Frau Georgia and Heavey in the 3.20 at Perth (445 miles).