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O'Brien Out to Continue Group One Domination with St Nicholas in Coronation Cup 30/05/12

Aidan O’Brien can continue his domination of Group 1 races in Britain and Ireland by landing the Coronation Cup over the Derby course and distance with St Nicholas Abbey on Saturday, who will be looking for back-to-back victories in the race following his win 12 months ago. He certainly looks the one to beat and is currently 5/6 odds on to do so according to the odds for the race.

St Nicholas Abbey
© Caroline Norris

He was defeated last time out at the Curragh when he was beaten a length by pacemaker, Windsor Castle, in the Group 3 High Chaparral Stakes over ten furlongs. However, he clearly needed the run that day and will be better suited by the course and trip on Saturday and the son of Montjeu is said to be back to the form he showed when winning the Breeders Cup Turf over 12 furlongs last November.

Windsor Castle in fact re-opposes again in this, although punters should not expect lightning to strike twice as Windsor Castle will only be the pacemaker once again. Also representing the O’Brien stable will be Treasure Beach, second in the Epsom Derby on this day 12 months ago and who went on to win the Irish Derby.

He finished in 4th place, four lengths behind second placed St Nicholas Abbey in the Group 1 Sheemah Classic over 1m4f at the Dubai Carnival in March, a race won by the very classy, Cirrus Des Aigles. He subsequently ran 9th of 13 in the QEII Cup over ten furlongs in Hong Kong in April but was badly drawn that day and lost too much energy in the early part of the race trying to get on terms. He is 8/1 to win the Saturday’s race and cannot be ruled out should St Nicholas Abbey not improve from his last run.

Beaten Up
© Racehorse Photos

One horse that has been backed in recent days to beat St Nicholas Abbey is the William Haggas trained Beaten Up who is currently a 5/1 chance (from 7s). However, he appears to have it all to find with both the favourite and Treasure Beach if his run in the Sheemah Classic is anything to go by. He could only manage sixth place at Meydan where he ran somewhat green pulling very early on which ultimately cost him. But in fairness, he has raced only four times in his career and he should learn a great deal from his Meydan experience hence the reason as to why there is a modicum of market support for the four year old gelding. There is no doubt that he has great potential and he is also from a yard bang in form but the O'Brien contigent could well have the measure of him.

Dubai World Cup winner, Monterosso, trained for Godolphin by Mahmood Al Zarooni is also rated highly in the betting at odds of 5/1. His win in the world’s richest race at the end of March came as a surprise to all but in fairness, he won with plenty in hand over a quality field that included Aidan O’Brien’s So You Think. It was also remarkable in that it was only his second race for a year having gone through 2011 unraced due to injury. Although a Group 2 winner at Royal Ascot, his overall 2010 form when trained by Mark Johnston was sketchy at best suggesting very strongly that his latest Meydan form should not necessarily be seriously considered.

Masked Marvel
© Racehorse Photos

With odds of 12/1 Masked Marvel, winner of the 2011 St Leger, should not be ruled out either although he will need to improve from his last race when almost last in the Group 2 Qatar Bloodstock Jockey Club Stakes over 12 furlongs at Newmarket last month. His trainer, John Gosden, is very pleased with his subsequent progress since then and believes that his staying ability will put him in good stead on the long run in to Epsom’s winning post. He certainly has strong each way claims and is attractively priced for each way punters wanting an alternative to the short price jolly.

However, this race looks set to revolve around St Nicholas Abbey and with little suggest that he can't repeat his win in this race from 12 months ago, Aidan O'Brien can continue his Group 1 domination in 2012.

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