Group One Coronation Cup Epsom Downs Guide 2023

Charlie Appleby boasts one in this Epsom contest on Friday with Hurricane Lane. The five-year-old has been lightly raced since winning five times in 2021, including Group Two Dante Stakes at York, Irish Derby at Curragh and the Group One St Leger at Doncaster. Returned below-par in 2022, failing to win on the two runs that year before finishing last of seven on reappearance this term at Newbury in April.

The Frankel horse was back to the Hurricane Lane we saw in 2021, winning Group Two Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket last month by six lengths and there is no reason that there can’t be another big run here. William Buick is the jockey.

Aiden O’Brien sends one runner to the Coronation Cup in the form of Point Lonsdale. The four-year-old has had a great start to his career, finishing in the top two on every run so far, apart from when he finished tenth in the 2000 Guineas last term at Newmarket. He boasts victories in the Group Two Huxley Stakes at Chester, Group Three Alleged Stakes at Curragh, Group Two Futurity Stakes at Curragh as well as runner-up to Native Trail in a group one at Curragh in September 2021.

The Australia colt is a lightly raced four-year-old who will have more to offer, and is certainly not ruled out of this one.

Ralph Beckett sends one runner to the Coronation Cup at Epsom on Friday with Westover. The four-year-old Frankel colt arrives at Epsom on the back of finishing second in the Group One Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in March, three lengths behind the talented Equinox. That was a welcome return to form after a couple of below-par runs towards the end of 2022.

He managed a couple of wins last term at Sandown and Curragh (Irish Derby) as well as finishing third in the Derby here last June, behind Hoo Ya Mal and Desert Crown. Some top runners are involved here but he is in with a chance. Rob Hornby is booked to ride.

German trainer Peter Schiergen sends his four-year-old Tunnes to the Coronation Cup with the colt arriving rated at 118, almost the highest in the race. He won the Deutches St Leger at Dortmund and also Grosser Preis von Bayern at Munich as well as second in the Carl Jaspers Preis at Cologne prior to heading here for a first run on British soil.

The 118-rated colt cannot be discounted on that German form, likely to have a tougher test here but on ratings and German results, he’s well in the mix.

John and Thady Gosden send one of their runners to the Epsom Coronation Cup in the form of the returning Emily Upjohn. The four-year-old arrives here at Epsom on the back of career-best victory at Ascot in October, winning the Group One British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes over 1m 3f by three lengths to Thunder Kiss. She was poor on her Ascot run prior to that but also won the Musidora Stakes at York and finished second in the Oaks here last June, a short head to winner Tuesday.

The filly is an 11/4 shot for the Coronation Cup on Friday and could land a blow on her first run of 2023. Frankie Dettori will do the steering.