Hermosa Aims for Impressive Hat Trick in Coronation Cup

The 3-year-old mile division might appear murky for the males after the QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas (G1), Irish version, and St. James's Palace Stakes (G1) were won by different horses, but Hermosa has the chance to stamp her authority among the fillies in the June 21 Coronation Stakes (G1).

Largely unconsidered as a 14-1 shot in the QIPCO One Thousand Guineas (G1) at Newmarket, the daughter of superstar sire Galileo built on that win with an impressive performance in the Tattersalls Irish One Thousand Guineas (G1) and aims to emulate her trainer Aidan O'Brien's Winter, who completed a sublime classic-Coronation Stakes treble in 2017.

"She is very well and seems to have come out of the Curragh in good form," O'Brien said. "She has always been a very straightforward filly, and everything has gone well since the Curragh."

O'Brien also fields Happen, a group 3 winner at the Curragh when last seen, and Just Wonderful, a major off-season fancy for the One Thousand Guineas whose 2019 campaign has yet to ignite.

"Happen is a very consistent filly who won well the last day at the Curragh," he added. "Just Wonderful ran well at Newmarket, and things didn't go her way at the Curragh. She seems in good form since."

Sir Michael Stoute is noted for his patience with horses, but he has wasted little time pushing Khalid Abdullah's Jubiloso into top-level company after her impressive success in a Newbury novice last month.

A daughter of Shamardal out of Joyeuse—a half sister to Frankel—the 3-year-old will be ridden by James McDonald, who won the Jersey Stakes last year on connections' Expert Eye.

Abdullah's racing manager, Teddy Grimthorpe, said: "This is a step up, there's no question about that. She's gone maiden, novice, and now a group 1, but everything she's shown either on the racecourse or at home has encouraged us to do this.

"She's been in very good form since Newbury and has worked well. We'll have to see as she's taking on some proven and high-class fillies. I imagine if we have a drying day, the ground will be on the easy side of good, which I don't think will be a worry. A deluge would mean going into the unknown."

Pretty Pollyanna—a top juvenile last term when claiming the Darley Prix Morny (G1)—swerved the One Thousand Guineas but ran big when she finished second to Hermosa in the Irish edition.

Her trainer, Michael Bell, said: "Her run in the Irish One Thousand Guineas was very good. We could do with a drying day, and hopefully she can give a very good account of herself. She was in good form before the Irish One Thousand Guineas, but given normal progression, she should have improved two to three pounds at least."

With the British and Irish One Thousand Guineas form well represented by Hermosa, trainer Henri-Alex Pantall is intrigued to see how Castle Lady, winner of the French equivalent, fares on her first start since the ParisLongchamp classic.

Castle Lady did not race as a 2-year-old but is unbeaten in three starts after a win on the all-weather at Chantilly and two successes in group company at Longchamp.

"It will be interesting to see how the form of the British, Irish, and French Guineas matches up," Pantall said. "She has progressed well, and I think she showed a little bit of inexperience in the Poule d'Essai, so she should be better on that front while she has also strengthened up a bit. She was still a little wintery at Longchamp, and her coat looks better, though I think she still hasn't quite blossomed in that respect.

"She is drawn close to Hermosa, and I hope she can take us into the race."

Hermosa Bids for the Record Books

Hermosa is tasked with joining an elite group of fillies to have landed the One Thousand Guineas and Irish One Thousand Guineas before scoring in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Attraction (2004) and Winter (2017) are the only two horses to have achieved the treble this century. Finsceal Beo also won both classics but finished eighth at the royal meeting.

Hermosa, a sister to group 1 winner Hydrangea, arrived at Newmarket with questions to answer on her seasonal return but made every yard of the running to win the One Thousand Guineas at 14-1. She doubled up to defeat Pretty Pollyanna by four lengths at the Curragh and bids to emulate Attraction and Winter.

The jockey bookings for Hermosa are an exact copy of Winter's treble, with Wayne Lordan on board at Newmarket before Ryan Moore took over in the saddle at the Curragh and Ascot.