[an error occurred while processing this directive] epsom derby 2011 /

Investec Coronation Cup is on Midday’s Radar
19/05/11

Midday is reported to be in good heart after her victorious seasonal return at York last week and connections are now giving serious consideration to a tilt at the £250,000 Group One Investec Coronation Cup (2.45pm) at Epsom Downs on Friday, June 3.

Midday
© JC Briens

A total of 15 horses remain for the Investec Coronation Cup following yesterday’s scratchings’ stage, details of which are revealed today, Wednesday, May 18.

Should the Henry Cecil-trained mare contest the mile and a half contest, it will be her first foray into open gender competition since finishing second to Debussy in the Investec Blue Riband Trial Stakes at Epsom Downs in April, 2009.

Following that run, Midday was a head runner-up to Sariska in the Investec Oaks over the course and distance and she has since blossomed into one of the sport’s brightest stars with five Group/Grade One triumphs under her belt.

Khalid Abdulla’s home-bred Oasis Dream mare made a winning start to the current campaign in the Group Two Middleton Stakes over 10 furlongs at York on May 12.

The same owner’s brilliant 2010 Investec Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Workforce, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, is also among the entries remaining for the historic Group One contest that was first staged in 1902.

Lord Grimthorpe, racing manager to Abdulla, revealed today: “Midday is the most likely runner of the two in the Investec Coronation Cup. We were very pleased with her comeback run at York the other day and Henry says she has done well since then.

“Sariska ran second to Fame And Glory last year, so looking at that form line, Midday shouldn’t be too far away.

“Workforce may well have already had a race before the Investec Coronation Cup comes around, maybe in something like the Brigadier Gerard Stakes, so we will have to consider our options with him.”

Ireland’s champion trainer, Aidan O’Brien, has won the Investec Coronation Cup on four occasions (2005 Yeats, 2007 Scorpion, 2008 Soldier Of Fortune, 2010 Fame And Glory) and has six entries going forward.

Fame And Glory could bid to become the sixth horse to win back-to-back renewals, having defeated 2009 Investec Oaks heroine Sariska to land last year’s race.

St Nicholas Abbey was once talked about as a potential Triple Crown winner but had just one outing last year as a three-year-old. The Galileo colt looked a force to be reckoned with when slamming his rivals to win the Group Three Ormonde Stakes at Chester recently.

The Ballydoyle contingent also includes the star Australian import, So You Think, impressive on his European debut in the Group Three Mooresbridge Stakes on May 2.

O’Brien could also saddle Cape Blanco, successful in the Irish Derby and Irish Champion Stakes last year, as well as Await The Dawn and Jan Vermeer, who started 9/4 favourite for last year’s Investec Derby in which he finished fourth.

Boreal earned a watershed victory for horses trained in Germany when successful in 2002. Scalo, from the Andreas Wohler stable, could bid to become the latest German raider to make a splash in a British Group One. The four-year-old landed the Group One Preis von Europa in his homeland last season.

Dandino
© Racehorse Photos

Godolphin-owned horses have won the Coronation Cup twice previously thanks to the Saeed bin Suroor-trained pair of Daylami (1999) and Mutafaweq (2001). Suroor could saddle Group One winners Campanologist and Cavalryman, while Mahmood Al Zarooni has Group Two scorer Monterosso entered.

Dandino and Indian Days could line up for trainer James Given, while Roger Charlton may run the smart mare Clowance.

THE INVESTEC CORONATION CUP

Group One, £250,000 Total Prize Fund. Epsom Downs, Friday, June 3, 2011. For four-year-olds and upwards, one mile & four furlongs. Weights; colts and geldings 9st; fillies 8st 11lb. Entries closed April 5, entries revealed April 6 (27 entries), scratchings deadline May 17 (15 remain), six-day confirmation & £20,000 supplementary stage May 28, final declaration stage 10.00am, June 1. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Monday, May 16.

Form Horse Age Owner Trainer

10/11-1 AWAIT THE DAWN (USA) 4 Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE

31130-4 CAMPANOLOGIST (USA) 6 Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor

1210-(4)4 CAPE BLANCO (IRE) 4 Fitri Hay/Derrick Smith/Sue Magnier/Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE

504303- CAVALRYMAN 5 Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor

4/24/010- CLOWANCE 6 Seasons Holidays Roger Charlton

1200-11 DANDINO 4 Elite Racing Club James Given

11115-1 FAME AND GLORY 5 Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE

1160-13 INDIAN DAYS 6 David Fish James Given

11/1433- JAN VERMEER (IRE) 4 Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE

21112-1 MIDDAY 5 Khalid Abdulla Henry Cecil

1405-1(3) MONTEROSSO 4 Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni

15011-1 SCALO 4 Gestut Ittlingen Andreas Wohler GER

11113-1 SO YOU THINK (NZ) 5 Smith/Magnier/Tabor/Nam/Yahaya Aidan O'Brien IRE

11/6-31 ST NICHOLAS ABBEY (IRE) 4 Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE

1/2151- WORKFORCE 4 Khalid Abdulla Sir Michael Stoute

15 Entries remain after May 17 scratchings deadline

6 Irish-trained

1 German-trained

THE FOLLOWING 12 HORSES HAVE BEEN SCRATCHED:

ALAINMAAR (FR), CALVADOS BLUES (FR), DANGEROUS MIDGE (USA), JUKEBOX JURY (IRE), LAAHEB, MEEZNAH (USA), PRINCE BISHOP (IRE), REDWOOD, REWILDING, SAJJHAA, SANS FRONTIERES (IRE), SNOW FAIRY (IRE)