Ervedya Upstages Found in Coronation Stakes

The Aga Khan's Ervedya ran down favorite Found with thrilling acceleration and edged past late to win the Coronation Stakes (Eng-I) June 19 at Royal Ascot.

 

Christopher Soumillon urged the perfectly timed, scintillating run from the winner of the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (Fr-I, French One Thousand Guineas), who came from off the pace for a neck victory. In the process she turned the tables on Found, the Irish One Thousand Guineas (Ire-I) runner-up, to whom she finished second last October in the Prix Marcel Boussac-Criterium des Pouliches (Fr-I) at Longchamp.

 

Found held second in the Coronation Stakes, and Lucida was a half length back third after breaking from outside post 9. U.S. trainer Graham Motion's Miss Temple City finished a commendable fourth under John Velazquez in her first start abroad.

 

"It was a big dream to come and win a group I here," winning trainer Jean-Claude Rouget said of Ervedya. "She's the best; mentally she is fantastic and that makes her the best."

 

Soumillon settled Ervedya near the back of the field as Arabian Queen set the pace, pressed by Yasmeen. After tracking the early leaders, Found hit the front a furlong out for Ryan Moore but was collared near the finish line. 

 

Moore has ridden nine winners for the week, after equaling the post-war record for a single Royal meeting with his eighth victory, which positioned him with a realistic chance of equaling or surpassing Fred Archer's all-time record of 12—a figure set in the 19th century and one that many people considered to be unreachable.  Victorious in the listed Queen's Vase with Aloft on Friday, he is booked to ride in all six races on the concluding card Saturday.

 

Ervedya finished one mile on firm turf in 1:38.46 to stay perfect in three starts this season. She won the French Guineas by three-quarters of length over Irish Rookie May 10 at Longchamp and started her 3-year-old campaign with a 1 3/4-length triumph in the Prix Imprudence (Fr-III) April 2 at Maisons-Laffitte. Overall, she has a 6-1-1 career line from eight career starts, including a victory in the 2014 Prix de Cabourg (Fr-III) and a third-place finish in the Darley Prix Morny (Fr-I).

 

Rouget indicated the Prix Rothschild (Fr-I) Aug. 2 at Deauville would be next for Ervedya, who is from the first crop of French group I winner Siyouni (Pivotal). Her dam is French group III-placed Elva, by King's Best.