Emily Upjohn Seeks Fillies & Mares Rebound

John Gosden has won the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (G1) twice in the last six years and he and son Thady saddle two strong contenders with the Cazoo Oaks (G1) runner-up Emily Upjohn  and Coral Park Hill Fillies Stakes (G2) winner Mimikyu .

The Gosdens fit both with a hood and have enjoyed remarkable success with that headgear. Journey  wore a hood when she won this race for the stable six years ago and adding the aid did the trick for her sister Mimikyu as she recorded a career-best at Doncaster.

That took the Gosden stable's record with runners in a first-time hood to 33-119 (28%) since 2011 and a £1 bet on all of those runners would have yielded a healthy profit of £94.90.

That is evidently a big positive for Emily Upjohn, who definitely pulled too hard and tailed off in the QIPCO King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) over course and distance in July. She returns from an 84-day absence.

The 3-year-old finished second in the Oaks but missed the Irish equivalent due to travel complications before her most recent start at Ascot.

"Emily Upjohn last ran in the King George, which was a strange race as they went hard early," said joint-trainer John Gosden. "She's had a holiday since then and has pleased at home. The plan is for her to stay in training next year. 

"We decided after the Park Hill to come here with Mimikyu. She won that in great style and goes to Ascot in good shape so there's no reason why she can't run well again."

In a normal year, the form of her previous second at Epsom would almost certainly set the standard on Racing Post Ratings, but that is not the case this season. Lexus Melbourne Cup (G1) winner Verry Elleegant  takes that honor courtesy of the 122 she recorded at Flemington last year.

Verry Elleegant has yet to recapture her best Australian form since joining Francis-Henri Graffard's yard in France, but the stable has unfinished business in this race. Graffard had Bateel  finish second to Hydrangea  in 2017 and is double-handed as he saddles Sweet Lady  too.

Last year's winner Eshaada  is back for another crack at the race, but this contest looks much stronger than the one she won 12 months ago. She might struggle in a field that also includes Eternal Pearl and Sea La Rosa , who have won seven in a row between them. 

"She won this race last year and is in great form," said Eshaada's trainer, Roger Varian. "She's run some good races in defeat this year without winning. She may not have quite got home over a mile and six furlongs at Doncaster last time, but the mile and a half at Ascot is her optimum conditions. The bit of ease in the ground will suit her. It's a very deep race this year with lots of nice fillies in there but she's primed to run very well."