John Gosden eyes Enable route for Emily Upjohn after 'super run' in Eclipse

Emily Upjohn could attempt to repeat the feat of her illustrious predecessor Enable by bidding for victory in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in three weeks’ time after her second-place finish in the Coral-Eclipse. 

The imposing four-year-old filly lost little in defeat to superstar three-year-old Paddington in a thrilling battle at Sandown, going down half a length when attempting to concede 7lb to her younger rival.

Clarehaven stable's 11-time Group 1 winner Enable finished second to Ghaiyyath in the 2019 Eclipse before landing her third King George, having won both races the previous year.

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is the ultimate aim for Emily Upjohn and John Gosden confirmed she would return to a mile and a half after contesting the 1m2f Eclipse trip for the first time since landing the Musidora 14 months ago. 

The Coronation Cup winner was last of six and beaten 25 lengths when a 3-1 shot for last year's King George, but a return to Ascot is now a strong possibility.

He said: "We know she’s a mile-and-a-half filly. The races we’re looking at are the King George, Yorkshire Oaks and the Arc, those are the big three. We don’t have to run in the King George, but Enable was second in this and then she won it, so older fillies can do it.

John Gosden: "We don’t have to run in the King George, but Enable was second in this and then she won it, so older fillies can do it"Credit: Edward Whitaker

"I wouldn’t mind [another crack at Paddington] but we’re going back to a mile and a half and I don’t think you’ll ever see him run over that. I would be very surprised. In his pedigree the dam stayed well, and Aidan O'Brien is capable of doing anything, but I think we’d be more likely to see his Derby winner [Auguste Rodin] in the King George."

Despite the narrow defeat, Gosden was delighted with the performance of Emily Upjohn and her stand-in rider William Buick – who deputised for the suspended Frankie Dettori – while awarding "full marks" to Paddington.

He added: "It was a superb race, which is what was needed because it’s disappointing when you only get four runners in a race of this class. It didn’t need one of them not firing.

"The winner is a very laid-back and good-looking horse and he did it well but, of course, we are giving the 7lb which tells. But it would tell – it’s a four-year-old to a three-year-old – and I always mention what Lester Piggott said to me, which is that the three-year-olds always have the edge in the Eclipse.

"She was a little slower out the gates, so we settled into third but had every opportunity up the straight. It was a super run. I was thrilled with her and William rode her perfectly. And Jamie [Spencer, on the front-running West Wind Blows] wisely stayed off the rail to get the fresh ground on the outside and by doing that there was nobody getting boxed in, which makes a big difference."

Read more . . .

'I don't think we saw the best of him' - Paddington delivers record-breaking seventh Eclipse for Aidan O'Brien  

'He's got to drop back to a mile' - three of our experts give their view on Paddington's best trip  

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