Coronation Cup Guide 2021

The four year old last year showed serious ability when winning back to back races at Newmarket over 12 and 13 furlongs, but went to Glorious Goodwood after that and flopped.

Many might have given up on the Sea The Stars colt after that, but on seasonal debut he stepped up for the Group Three Surprise Stakes over course and distance and ran out a very easy 4 1/2 lengths winner.

Sent into the Group Three Al Rayyan Stakes over 1m4f at Newbury last time out, he could not have been an easy winner of the race, cruising to the front and demolishing a field on the bridle that included St Leger winner Logician and Dante Stakes winner Thunderous.

It was arguably one of the performances of the season and if being able to reproduce it in Group One company, he looks the horse to beat.

The main challenger to the favourite is the Aidan O'Brien trained Japan, who has been a serial Group One winner throughout the last few seasons.

Japan could the stand out option for the AOB yard having gave some superb performances in 2019 when winning at Royal Ascot in the King Edward VII Stakes and then backing that up in the Juddmonte International.

He went to the Arc and again gave another strong effort to finish fourth in challenging conditions and a lot was expected of him as a four year old.

Like his previous season he needed the run on his first start, fading in the latter stages of the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Ascot but next time out he was back to his best when a narrow third in the Eclipse.

He suffered an injury in the three runner King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and was tailed off behind Enable and Sovereign.

Again, he was underwhelming in the Irish Champion Stakes when coming with his challenge and fading late on and topped off his poor end to the season when only beating one home in the Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Japan returned for another season this year and started his campaign off at Chester in the Group Three Ormonde Stakes, staying the 1m5f extremely well.

He will certainly get the 1m4f and if back to his best after a nice confidence booster on his seasonal reappearance then he looks to have a big chance.

Mogul was a bright juvenile landing two contests including the Group Two Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and then finishing a decent fourth in the Group One Vertem Futurity Stakes at Newcastle.

A mile and a half or further looked to be the prerogative for this colt and having finished fourth in the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.

He went to Epsom after that for the Derby and although finishing sixth it was a fair run in a race that well and truly did not go to plan for the big hitters.

The four year old finally showed his potential at Goodwood when taking the Group Three Gordon Stakes, but could not back that up at York in the Great Voltigeur when only third of eight.

His best run of the season came on his penultimate start when landing the Group Grand Prix de Paris and although giving a less than impressive display in the Breeders' Cup turf that was more down to how he handled the track.

The Ballydoyle team wanted to keep him on the jet-setting path and in December he was sent to Sha Tin for the Group One Hong Kong Vase and he landed it in fine style.

Looking to make it back to back wins he went to Meydan for the Group One Dubai Sheema Classic, but was very disappointing only beating two runners home.

Given over a month off he went over to France for the Group One Prix Ganay and finished a fair third behind some nice horses and if not performing he looks opposable.

The now four year old was a real success story for the fairly small yard last term having made his seasonal debut in June when finishing second at Kempton, but since then improving with every run and showing he is a real black type contender.

He headed to Royal Ascot for his second start of the season and he was a shock winner of the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes.

The colt was given a Derby entry and went to Epsom but having being bumped in the big field early on he ran no race and as a far as Muir was concerned they drew a line through that run.

He proved how special he can be next time out when taking the Group Two Great Voltigeur Stakes at York's Ebor meeting, being eased down in the final stages.

The St Leger was next on the agenda and with many pundits fearing he would not stay, they were proved wrong as the three year old finished a length third behind winner Galileo Chrome.

Although seeing out the marathon trip his trainer believes he is best over 1 mile 4 furlongs, but he did not give his best running on his final start of the season when only seventh of 10 in the Group One Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Back for another season this term the son of Harbour Watch finished a decent second in the Group Two Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket behind the smart Sir Ron Priestley.

With that run under his belt Muir is keen on seeking Group One glory in this event and he looks an each way player.

The four year old was smart in the majority of her five outings last term, getting off the mark at the first time of asking at Haydock over 10f, seeing off some next time out winners.

She then was slightly upped in trip at York for the Group Three Musidora Stakes where she was a good second behind the Mark Johnston trained Rose Of Kildare.

Stepped up to 1m4f at York she was beaten by better horses, but bounced back to form over the same trip next time out when going down by a head in her first handicap.

The mare was next seen again going down by a head over 1m6f in a Listed event at Ascot, being beaten by the St Leger second Berkshire Rocco.

Returning for her seasonal debut in the Listed Buckhound Stakes at Ascot last time out, she gave one of the performances of the season so far to land the event by seven lengths.

She has stayers in the family and also horses who appreciate cut in the ground, if the ground goes either soft/heavy, she looks to be a big player, but on good ground she might be outclassed.

This highly progressive filly for Sir Mark Prescott was in good form last season, finishing fourth on seasonal debut over in France and then coming back over to England to land a superb Listed event at Salisbury.

She then stepped up to her first Group One events and outrun her odds of 33/1 to finish second behind Love in the Yorkshire Oaks.

The filly then went to Newmarket over the same trip in the Group Two Royal Muhaarar Stakes but could only finish second behind Antonia De Vega.

Back this season the daughter of Frankel landed the Listed Fillies' Stakes over 1m4f at Goodwood, just seeing off Makawee for David O'Meara.

Stepping up to this level does leave her vulnerable even on the best of form and she will need a career best run to go well.

The three year old son of Gleneagles has really moved his career along this term having shown glimpses of ability as a juvenile but this season stepping up in the big races.

On his seasonal debut at Ascot he got off the mark for the first time in his career winning the Golden Gates Handicap at Royal Ascot.

Off the back of that he was sent into the Derby and like many horses ran no sort of race and a line can be drawn through that run.

Since then the colt has been to Glorious Goowood and the Ebor meeting at York and finished second in the Gordon Stakes and Great Voltigeur behind very smart opposition.

With a solid form line throughout the term he was sent over to France for the Group One Grand Prix de Paris, but could only finish fifth.

Seen once more last term he was a weak third of four in the Group Three Cumberland Lodge Stakes and on that form alone has it all to do on seasonal debut.