York report: Emily Upjohn impresses to stake Oaks claim
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
Emily Upjohn was slashed into 11-8 and 6-4 across the board for the Cazoo Oaks in just three weeks' time after running out an impressive winner of the Group Three Tattersalls Musidora Stakes for Frankie Dettori and John and Thady Gosden at York.
The 4-7 favourite pulled hard in the first half of the race and was heavily restrained by Dettori until two furlongs from home, when the daughter of Sea The Stars accelerated away from her four rivals to cross the line five and a half lengths ahead of Life Of Dreams.
John Gosden confirmed the Cazoo Oaks is now on the agenda and suggested that he may take his exciting and unbeaten filly to the Cazoo Derby Gallops Morning on Monday 23 May to get a better feel for the unique undulations of the Downs.
"She was a little fresh early, there was no cover, she likes to get on with the job," said the trainer.
“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.
"She will be better stepping up in trip. She couldn't have done it any better, really.
"She's a tall filly for Epsom but she's got great balance. She’s a lovely filly and well balanced with a good stride and she’s learnt a lot today.”
John Gosden plans to give Emily Upjohn a feel of Epsom - and maybe enjoyed a cooked breakfast - at the Cazoo Derby Gallops Morning later this month
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 in that class. The Fugue was a mile-and-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 recorded his sixth triumph in this race, one more than Steve Cauthen to become the all-time leading rider in this Classic trial.
"We think a lot of her. She won a trial by five lengths - there's not too many bad things you can say about her.
"She looks keen but she's in control. She is exuberant but she is obeying my commands - you want them like that, trust me.
“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."
Frankie Dettori is excited about Emily Upjohn
Dettori ranks Emily Upjohn favourably among his previous Oaks 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, assistant to trainer Charlie Appleby, said of the stable's runner-up Life Of Dreams: “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.”
Emily Upjohn was notably faster over the final three furlongs than her rivals at York according to the Coursetrack sectionals
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.”
Princess reigns in Duke Of York
Highfield Princess was a taking winner of the 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes for jockey Jason Hart and trainer John Quinn.
The mare travelled prominently despite being restrained by Hart in the early stages of the Group Two contest and then eased clear when asked to quicken.
Left alone in the lead in the final furlong, the five-year-old began to drift towards the outer rail but was still a comfortable two-and-three-quarter-length winner from Karl Burke’s 9-1 chance Spycatcher.
Owen Burrows’ Minzaal was the third-placed horse as the 11-4 joint favourite, with Dragon Symbol disappointing at the same price on his first run for Roger Varian.
Quinn, who was on his way to the Arqana sales in France, said of the 11-2 victor: “I got to see it just before I was about to get on the train.
“I’m obviously delighted, she was very impressive, just what I wanted to see.
“I think we’ll probably wait now until the six-furlong race at Ascot (Platinum Jubilee), that’s the obvious next race for her.
“What has been really pleasing to see of late is that if anything she’s getting quicker, they were never going too quick for her there.
“Now I just hope I can find the next one.”
Deserved pats for Highfield Princess after an impressive success at York (Photo: Focusonracing)
Hart said: “I didn’t think she’d travel that well to be honest. I don’t know what the boss does but he’s made her quicker.
“I got her in a lovely rhythm and at halfway she lit up underneath me. When I pressed the button, I couldn’t believe how she picked up and put the race to bed.
“She was my first Royal Ascot winner and going back there looks the obvious place to go.”
Burke was more than satisfied with the runner-up’s effort, but felt he may have been a little unlucky.
He said: “I’m delighted – he ran a great race.
“It’s a shame we got a little bit hampered because he is quite a competitive horse when he gets upsides. The winner was the best horse on the day, but we’d have been a couple of lengths closer I think if we’d had a clear run.
“He’s suffered with his feet a little bit and should have won on Good Friday really, but to come and do it in that grade is brilliant and gives us a lot of hope for the future.
“I’m not sure where we’ll go next. He is actually in the Group Two at the Curragh on Sunday week (Greenlands Stakes), but I’d imagine that will come too quick and will be a very hot race.
“We’re not entered at Royal Ascot and I think the ground would be the key to him really with his feet – a bit of juice in the ground is perfect.”
Highfield Princess managed to go the gallop early on down at six furlongs in what proved a fairly evenly-run race (Photo: Coursetrack)
Minzaal was the only one of the first three to be making his seasonal reappearance and Burrows said: “I’m happy enough with that as I felt this might just knock the cobwebs away.
“It was a funny old race. He jumped well, which I was pleased about as he’s been a little bit slow at times and he travelled well, but the winner didn’t stop did she?
“She drifted away from him, so he didn’t have anything then to take him into the race.
“He’s having a nice blow and I’m sure he’ll come forward plenty from that. Like everybody we’ve been waiting to get some serious work in on the grass, so hopefully the rain will allow for that and we can move forwards to Ascot.”
Haggas on the mark again with Gaassee
Gaassee earned himself an automatic starting spot for the £1m Ebor Handicap back at York in August after providing trainer William Haggas with back-to-back victories in the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap on the Knavesmire.
William Haggas: "Everyone loves winning at York"
A year on from saddling Ilaraab to claim his sixth successive victory in the Dante Festival opener, the proud Yorkshireman was represented by a similarly progressive colt in this son of Sea The Stars.
Third on his racecourse debut at Lingfield in September, Gaassee went on to score at Chester, Newcastle and Kempton before the end of 2021 and was all the rage for his return to action on the Knavesmire.
After initially being settled in midfield by Tom Marquand, the 6-4 favourite made his move at the top of the home straight and finished strongly to beat recent Hamilton scorer Forza Orta by a length.
Ilaraab went on to contest the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot following his triumph 12 months ago, finishing eighth, but Gaassee appears unlikely to follow the same route.
Gaassee is a really nice horse and a potential Ebor type, Tom Marquand tells Niall Hannity
Haggas said: “That’s a good start. He was lugging a bit to the left though, I don’t know why. He might have been a bit rusty, but he wasn’t as impressive as I’d hoped he’d be.
“We put him in the Hardwicke in case something like this happened, but he’s not Hardwicke material yet.
“He wears a tongue-strap but I don’t know if it makes a difference, we’re just now at the stage where I don’t want to take it off.
“Everyone loves winners at York, but I was born up here and I’m always proud to have winners at York.”
Dakota Gold bounces back to his best
"He just loves it here" - Michael Dods gives winning reaction to Niall Hannity
Dakota Gold bounced back to his best and in no uncertain terms when holding on in a tight finish to the Churchill Tyres Handicap.
Sent off at 18-1 having disappointed on his reappearance at Musselburgh, the eight-year-old was without a victory since November 2020 but was winning for sixth time on the Knavesmire, equalling the record of Copper Knight as the most successful horse at the track in modern times.
Having led the near-side group, he looked a sitting duck as Makanah and stablemate Pendleton closed in late on, but Dakota Gold clung on for Connor Beasley to win by a head and half a length.
"It's great to get him back" - Connor Beasley on old friend Dakota Gold
Dods said: “I gave him a run at Musselburgh and he didn’t like it because everyone wants to lead and he was getting hassled – it was a waste of time.
“He looks better this year than last year. I was never really happy with him in his coat and everything last season and he was so high in the weights he couldn’t get in races. He was having to run in Listed races and basically wasn’t good enough.
“They had a bit of rain here today and six furlongs on good ground is perfect for him. It’s nice to see him come back and hopefully he goes on from here. For an eight-year-old to do that, he’s got some heart.”
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