Coronation Cup 2012

2.40 Epsom

Diamond Jubilee Coronation Cup (Sponsored By Investec) (Group 1) (Class 1)  (4YO plus)

Winner £170,130

Advice: 3 pts St Nicholas Abbey (8/11 Hills, Sportingbet, Blue Sq, 888Sport)

Beaten Up: Meteoric rise from Ripon maiden to Group 3 achieved in only 3 starts last season, winning all three starts with ease in the end; Not hard pushed to beat useful Al Kazeem at Newbury (since gone onto win Group 2 impressively) and can be forgiven Dubai disappointment on basis that they didn’t go a cracking gallop upfront, along with the fact he was generally below form; Expect a big run here.

Masked Marvel: Masked Marvel: Regained earlier promise shown on debut when an impressive winner of the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood, easily beating a useful but limited field; Well held in Derby but right back to best when winning Group 3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket and backed that up with great St Ledger win, relishing the extra staying test in strongly run race; Last in Arc but well over the top by that time and travelling extremely well before he faded badly at Newmarket in Jockey Club Stakes, a run which it’s general accepted was badly needed; Only worry is that might want a flat track to show his best (didn’t love Epsom last year); Still has to have a major chance.

Quest For Peace: rogressive for Ballydoyle last season when winning Lenanbane Stakes with more than a bit in hand, and looked like one to follow when landing Cumberland Lodge in good style; respectable fifth in Canadian Group 1 followed by good seasonal return but well behind Al Kazeem on seasonal debut in Jockey Club Stakes and while that form strong, feeling is that Masked Marvel wasn’t at his best

Red Cadeux: Made rapid strides throughought last year; Second in Melbourne Cup, third in the Hong Kong Vase and then won the Yorkshire Cup following his seasonal reappearance at Kempton; Not dismissed with staying power likely to be brought into play here (Ballydoyle pacemaker Robin Hood looks set to go from front) and tempting on Hong Kong form.

Robin Hood: Pacemaker for St Nicholas Abbey; Might get away from them but sure to be reeled in at this track.

St Nicholas Abbey: Superb on left handed tracks (5/4); Looked set for big things at two, having shown great turn of foot to land Racing Post Trophy & recaptured that spark after disappointing period (injured) with wins in Ormonde Stakes (by 9 lengths) and last year’s renewal of this; Didn’t quite have things drop his way until renaissance in Breeders Cup Turf, which was arguably his best performance; Back in style when a fast closing second to Cirrus Des Aigles in Dubai but waiting tactics overdone in big style when beaten at 2/5 in Mooresbirdge Stakes last time, with a trip of 10 furlongs possibly not suiting him either; Should be back to his best here.

VERDICT: A small but high quality field, and one which will provide a stern test for hot favourite and defending champion ST NICHOLAS ABBEY, who was beaten by a top class horse in Cirrus Des Aigles in Dubai (when given quite a lot of ground to make up from behind), before the same thing happened with even more dire circumstances in the Mooresbridge Stakes, where a combination of poor riding and soft ground saw him beaten at 2/5. He’s a short price today but he’s the class act at his best and if one can get a price of 4/6 about him winning it, then that looks to be worth taking. Beaten Up, Masked Marvel and Red Cadeux will make him work for it though, with all holding very worthy claims.