Back
10 Apr 2019

Enable heads star cast of 26 entered for Investec Coronation Cup

Enable is set to seek an eighth Group One win in the Coronation Cup. Picture: Racingfotos.com

Magnificent mare Enable stars among 26 entries for the £425,000 Investec Coronation Cup at Epsom on May 31.

The daughter of Nathaniel has been successful on 10 of her 11 starts, with seven of her successes coming at Group One level.

Three of her victories have been achieved in QIPCO British Champions Series races – including a stunning course and distance success in the 2017 Investec Oaks, when she came home five lengths in front in a record time.

Her Newmarket-based trainer John Gosden, who said last month the Coronation Cup was a likely starting point for Enable, landed the Investec Coronation Cup last year with Cracksman, who was announced as the world’s best racehorse in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse rankings for 2018.


In addition to Enable, Gosden has also entered last year’s champion stayer Stradivarius, Wissahickon, Coronet and Lah Ti Dar.

Ireland’s 20-time champion Flat trainer Aidan O’Brien is the most successful handler in the history of the Investec Coronation Cup with eight victories, including St Nicholas Abbey – the only triple winner of the historic contest (2011, 2012 and 2013).

The seven Ballydoyle entries in 2019 include the last two winners of the St Leger – Capri and Kew Gardens, plus the filly Magical (7/1), who landed the Group One QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot on British Champions day at Ascot last season.

O’Brien said of Kew Gardens: “He is in good form. The Coronation Cup is a race we are looking to aim him towards.

“I think the plan would be to start over a mile and a half somewhere, then take in the Coronation Cup before going for the King George.

“He stays very and has plenty of options over a longer trip if we want to do that.”

Mark Johnston has entered Investec Derby runner-up Dee Ex Bee and the lightly-raced Mildenberger, who has not raced since finishing second to Roaring Lion in the Dante Stakes at York in May, having had Kew Gardens in behind when winning the Listed Feilden Stakes at Newmarket the previous month.

Johnston said: “The Coronation Cup is a race Mildenberger could hopefully run in. We will look to run him somewhere else beforehand, but those big 12-furlong races are the target.

“He hasn’t been seen since finishing second in the Dante at York, but he fractured his knee at that point. We have been happy with him over the winter and he is an exciting horse for the year ahead.

“Dee Ex Bee was a good second in the Derby last year, but we are going to step him up in trip and he will start in the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot.”

Entries: Enable; Kew Gardens; Lah Ti Dar; Coronet, Waldgeist;  Magical;  Young Rascal; Morando; Latrobe; Capri; Dee Ex Bee; Defoe; Red Verdon; Wissahickon; Stradivarius; Salouen; Mildenberger; Southern France; Flag of Honour; Laraaib; Cimeara; Cypress Creek; Folamour; Hunting Horn; Marmelo; Communique.