Talking Horses: Emily Upjohn can set record straight in stellar King George
Having bombed out in last season’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes, Emily Upjohn can set the record straight by seeing off a stellar line-up in this year’s Ascot showpiece.
When the John and Thady Gosden-trained filly went to post for last year’s King George, she did so having finished a somewhat unlucky second to Tuesday in the Oaks on her previous start.
On the back of that effort, confidence was high that she would bounce back but the daughter of Sea The Stars never settled in a race run at a furious pace and eventually trailed in last, 25 lengths behind Pyledriver.
That dismal display left her with plenty to prove on her return to Ascot on Champions Day but Emily Upjohn did just that in emphatic fashion, making her Group 1 breakthrough in the Fillies & Mares Stakes.
She doubled her Group 1 tally on her first start as a four-year-old, seeing off Westover in the Coronation Cup at Epsom at the start of last month.
Dropped back in trip to 10 furlongs on her most recent start in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, Emily Upjohn lost little in defeat when touched off by top-class three-year-old Paddington, to whom she was giving 7lbs. In the circumstances, it was a hell of a run and stepping back up to a mile and a half looks certain to play to her strengths.
Her no-show in this race last year remains a niggling concern but her overall body of work is top-class and any horse can have an off day.
Indeed, it could be argued that likely King George favourite Auguste Rodin has had two off days this season alone. The 2000 Guineas was always going to be a tough task for a horse bred to excel over further but the Deep Impact colt was never remotely competitive at any point of the opening Classic of the season.
On the back of that run, it was a fine training feat on the part of Aidan O’Brien to get Auguste Rodin back firing on all cylinders in the Epsom Derby where he wore down King Of Steel, the front pair pulling miles clear of their rivals.
Last time out, Auguste Rodin completed a Derby double by winning the Irish version at the Curragh but he made seriously heavy weather of it.
Up against his elders for the first time, far more will be required and while he should confirm Epsom form with King Of Steel, he looks an opposable favourite on the whole.
Hukum is feared more. The son of Sea The Stars had to wait until his five-year-old campaign to get off the mark at Group 1 level but that was a seriously impressive effort as he swatted subsequent King George winner Pyledriver aside with ease in the Coronation Cup.
Sadly injury meant Hukum didn’t run again last season but he looked as good as ever on his return to action at Sandown in May, lowering the colours of 2022 Derby hero Desert Crown in the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes.
Quick ground denied Hukum a run at Royal Ascot but that may have been a blessing in disguise in that it has given him more time to recover from his Sandown exertions. The midweek rain means the ground should be perfect this time and a huge run seems inevitable.
And what of Pyledriver, the reigning champion who seems to be forever underestimated? Off the track from last year’s King George until last month’s Royal Ascot, Pyledriver looked as enthusiastic and willing as ever when adding another victory to his CV by winning the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes.
He looks sure to put up a bold defence of his title but the suspicion remains that he’ll find one or two too good on this occasion.
In what shapes as a cracking King George, a case could be made for any of the top seven in the market — Westover and Luxembourg can’t be completely discounted — but odds of 9-2 look perfectly fair for Emily Upjohn’s redemption mission and she just gets the vote ahead of Hukum and Auguste Rodin.
