Timeform Awards: Leading Female 3YO+ - Emily Upjohn

WINNER: EMILY UPJOHN (Timeform rating: 126)

Pedigree Details

Sire: Sea The Stars

Dam: Hidden Brief

Dam’s sire: Barathea

Breeder: Lordship Stud & Sunderland Holding Inc

Foaled: March 8, 2019

2023 Race Record & Fact file

Races: 3

Wins: 1

Major win: Coronation Cup

Owner: Lloyd Webber, Tactful Finance, S Roden

Trainers: John & Thady Gosden

Principal Rider: Frankie Dettori

Emily Upjohn began her four-year-old campaign the same way she’d ended her three-year-old season, with a Group 1 win, but while her Coronation Cup victory at Epsom in June promised plenty for the remainder of the year, that proved to be her only success from just three starts over the summer. It was, however, a high-class effort and a significant further step up on her three-year-old form when she’d been largely progressive, winning the Musidora Stakes at York before a short-head defeat to Tuesday in the Oaks, and then bouncing back from a poor effort in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes to win the Fillies & Mares Stakes back at Ascot in the autumn.

Emily Upjohn had worn a hood for the first time on her final three-year-old start and the headgear was retained for the Coronation Cup in which she was the only one of the five runners without an outing already. She had been an intended runner in the Dubai Sheema Classic in March but John Gosden ultimately delayed her return, saying that she needed more time to come to herself. Westover had taken his chance in Dubai, finishing second in the Sheema Classic to the impressive Japanese winner Equinox, and it was he who shaded favouritism from Emily Upjohn in the Coronation Cup, the pair sent off at 5/2 and 11/4.

Aidan O’Brien’s runner Point Lonsdale, who’d won both his starts in the spring, including the Huxley Stakes at Chester, was next in the betting on 7/2, ahead of Hurricane Lane, 4/1 after returning to form to win the Jockey Club Stakes last time, with German challenger Tunnes, a half-brother to Arc winner Torquator Tasso, the outsider of the field at 15/2.

But the race proved much more one-sided than the betting suggested, with Emily Upjohn running out an impressive winner under conditions which suited her well but were evidently on the quick side for some of her rivals. Travelling well under a patient ride, she made rapid headway early in the straight to lead well over two furlongs out and was soon clear, Westover closing her down slightly late on as Frankie Dettori eased her off to win by a length and three quarters with Westover well clear of Point Lonsdale in third. She was the first filly or mare to land the Coronation Cup since the Steve Cauthen-ridden In The Groove won for David Elsworth in 1991.

Given the fine turn of foot she’d shown at Epsom to settle matters in a race that tested speed over stamina, Emily Upjohn looked unlikely to be troubled by the drop back to a mile and a quarter for her next start in the Eclipse at Sandown. In an even smaller field than for the Coronation Cup, she was regarded as the main threat to odds-on favourite Paddington in a clash of the generations, with the three-year-old bidding to extend his winning sequence stepping up from a mile for the first time. With Dettori serving a suspension for careless riding at Royal Ascot, William Buick came in for the ride.

She fully confirmed the improvement she’d shown at Epsom but it wasn’t enough to contain her thriving younger rival, Emily Upjohn putting in a sustained challenge in the final furlong but never quite able to get upsides Paddington who travelled that bit more smoothly and had half a length to spare at the line, the pair of them pulling clear of the other two runners West Wind Blows and Dubai Honour.

Later in July, Emily Upjohn lined up against another top Ballydoyle three-year-old colt Auguste Rodin in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and once again she was regarded as the main danger to the favourite, sent off at 7/2 to beat the dual Derby winner. But while Auguste Rodin trailed home last of the ten runners, Emily Upjohn fared scarcely better herself, beaten some 27 lengths behind Hukum and Westover in seventh and proving bitterly disappointing in the race for the second year running. The difference from 12 months earlier was that Emily Upjohn didn’t get a chance to redeem herself later in the season but she could yet do so early next year as she stays in training, with the Sheema Classic reported as being a potential target again in the spring.

Gosden and the Lloyd Webbers – who bought a half-share in Emily Upjohn mid-way through her three-year-old season – have already won the Sheema Classic with a five-year-old mare, Dar Re Mi, in 2010. Dar Re Mi has since excelled as a broodmare at her owners’ Watership Down Stud, producing, among others, the top two-year-old of 2018 Too Darn Hot – also Timeform’s leading first-season sire this year and in line to be Emily Upjohn’s first covering when the time comes for her to retire to Watership Down.

Suffice to say Emily Upjohn is a hugely more valuable prospect now that when she was bought for 60,000 guineas as a yearling for her now part-owner Jon Shack in whose colours she previously raced. She’s much the best of three winners out of Hidden Brief, who was a useful filly in her own right – even though her only win came in a Newbury maiden – but whose greater claim to fame was being a half-sister to the dam of the Aga Khan’s 2016 Derby winner Harzand who, like Emily Upjohn, is by Sea The Stars.

The family has since thrown up other very good horses in addition to Emily Upjohn. Her Coronation Cup rival and 2021 St Leger and Irish Derby winner Hurricane Lane, French colt Big Rock who put up the best miling performance of the year in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and Vadream, winner of the Palace House Stakes in May, all descend from Emily Upjohn’s grandam Hazaradjat.

RUNNER-UP: INSPIRAL (125)

Pedigree Details

Sire: Frankel

Dam: Starscope

Dam’s sire: Selkirk

Breeder: Cheveley Park Stud

Foaled: March 14, 2019

2023 Race Record & Fact file

Races: 5

Wins: 3

Major wins: Prix Jacques le Marois, Sun Chariot Stakes, Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf

Owner: Cheveley Park Stud

Trainer: John and Thady Gosden

Principal Rider: Frankie Dettori

Emily Upjohn was not the only high-class filly in the Gosden yard during the latest campaign as Inspiral again demonstrated that she was among the best of her sex.

Inspiral won twice at the highest level in 2022 and she went one better in the latest season, winning the Prix Jacques le Marois, Sun Chariot Stakes and Breeders' Cup Filly And Mare Turf.

Inspiral was beaten on her first couple of starts of the season, including in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood where she trailed home last of five. The testing conditions offered an obvious excuse for the display, however, and she quickly bounced back to win the Jacques le Marois for a second year in succession (she was also putting a flop behind her when winning the race in 2022, incidentally).

Arguably the most impressive success of Inspiral's career, and certainly her most authoritative in 2023, came in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket where she readily quickened three and three-quarter lengths clear after cutting through the field. That impressive turn of foot was also seen to good effect on her final start when she quickened from an unpromising position to land the Breeders' Cup Filly And Mare Turf on her only attempt at a mile and a quarter.

THIRD: LIBERTY ISLAND (124)

Pedigree Details

Sire: Duramente

Dam: Yankee Rose

Dam’s sire: All American

Breeder: Northern Farm

Foaled: February 2, 2020

2023 Race Record & Fact file

Races: 4

Wins: 3

Major wins: Oka Sho, Yushun Himba, Shuka Sho

Owner: Sunday Racing Co Ltd

Trainer: Mitsumasa Nakauchida

Principal Rider: Yuga Kawada

Liberty Island was unable to emulate Gentildonna and Almond Eye by adding the Japan Cup to the Fillies' Triple Crown, but, then again, neither of those rivals had Equinox standing in their way!

Liberty Island was no match for Equinox in the Japan Cup but she emerged with plenty of credit in a four-length second, running just about her best race on Timeform's figures.

Prior to that clash with Equinox Liberty Island had won all three starts in 2023, looking particularly impressive in the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks), which she won by six lengths in a quick time. That success over a mile and a half split victories in the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) over a mile and the Shuka Sho over a mile and a quarter.

THIRD: THROUGH SEVEN SEAS (124)

Pedigree Details

Sire: Dream Journey

Dam: Mighty Slew

Dam’s sire: Kurofune

Breeder: Northern Farm

Foaled: April 8, 2018

2023 Race Record & Fact file

Races: 4

Wins: 2

Owner: Carrot Farm Co Ltd

Trainer: Tomohito Ozeki

Principal Rider: Christophe Lemaire

Japan's wait for a first Arc goes on, but Through Seven Seas, like many of her compatriots before her, gave a good account of herself at Longchamp without being able to deliver that much sought-after success.

Through Seven Seas, the sole Japanese Arc contender this year, was fourth behind Ace Impact but was beaten only three lengths on her first start at a mile and a half in two years, and she may well have finished closer had she not met trouble when going well three furlongs out and then again two furlongs from home.

Through Seven Seas had started her campaign by winning a couple of handicaps at Nakayama but had already shown very smart form prior to Longchamp when beaten only a neck by Equinox in the Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin. Things didn't go right for Equinox who was forced very wide in the straight and always seemed in control after hitting the front, but Through Seven Seas didn't enjoy a smooth trip herself and it reflects well on her that she got so close to the world's best racehorse.

THIRD: IMPERATRIZ (124)

Pedigree Details

Sire: I Am Invincible

Dam: Berimbau

Dam’s sire: Shamardal

Breeder: Raffles Dancers (NZ) Pty Ltd

Foaled: August 16, 2018

2023 Race Record & Fact file

Races: 8

Wins: 7

Major wins: Sistema Railway, BCD Group Sprint, William Reid Stakes, Moir Stakes, Manikato Stakes, Champions Sprint

Owner: Te Akau Invincible Empress Racing Partnership

Trainer: Mark Walker

Principal Rider: Opie Bosson

Moonee Valley will always be synonymous with Winx after her four straight successes in the Cox Plate, but Imperatriz has also built up an enviable record around the tight track in Melbourne.

Imperatriz won all four starts at Moonee Valley in 2023, including three at Group 1 level - the William Reid Stakes, the Moir Stakes and the Manikato Stakes.

In fact, the only defeat Imperatriz suffered in eight races in 2023 was when beaten a short-head by Artorius in the Canterbury Stakes at Randwick in March. Artorius will be familiar with European racing fans having finished placed in the Platinum Jubilee and July Cup in 2022.

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