Emily Upjohn and Frankie Dettori win Musidora Stakes at York to cement Oaks claims

Ridden by Frankie Dettori, the daughter of Sea The Stars was sent off the short-priced favourite (4/7) on the back of a nine and a half-length novice win at Sandown and duly delivered in the style of a top-class filly.

Sky Bet reacted by cutting the winner to 11/8 from 7/2 for the Oaks at Epsom, with Betfair and Paddy Power 6/4 (also from 7/2).

A little keen through the early stages of the 10-furlong Group Three - won last year by subsequent Oaks heroine Snowfall - Emily Upjohn was asked to pick up a couple of furlongs from the finish and gradually went through the gears, ultimately drawing five and a half lengths clear of 11/4 second-favourite Life Of Dreams.

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.

“She’s a lovely filly and well balanced with a good stride and she’s learnt a lot today.”

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 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 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.”

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.”

David Cleary - Timeform view

Bookmaker reaction to Emily Upjohn's success in the Musidora Stakes at York was unanimous – having been alongside Tuesday at the head of the Oaks betting pre-race, Emily Upjohn was shortened to a pretty general 6/4 clear market leader after her five-length success.

There was no doubt about the authority of her win and her potential to improve further when she steps up to a mile and a half, whether she should be that short is another matter.

Emily Upjohn, who had won both her previous starts, had shown a significantly higher level of form than any of her four rivals, even if two of those were unbeaten. She needed to be shaken up to assert with two furlongs to go, but the further she went the better she was, looking to have a fair bit left at the line.

However, she probably didn't have to run much above the level of her Sandown win last time.

Her closest rivals in the ante-post lists, Tuesday or With The Moonlight, ran at least as well at the Guineas meeting. The latter won the Pretty Polly at Newmarket with a similar authority and is every bit as likely to improve further when stepped up to the full Oaks distance.

At the prices available, With The Moonlight rather than Emily Upjohn looks the bet in the Oaks at this stage.

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