Coronation Stakes Fillies' Group 1 | British Champions Stakes | Rnd | Class 1 | 3YO only Winner £368,615 - 11 entered to run Last year’s race Winner: Tahiyra Jockey: Chris D Hayes Trainer: Dermot K Weld Owner: H H Aga Khan Age: 3 Weight: 9st 2lbs Starting Price: 8/13 Season Form Figures: 21 Previous Best: 1st - Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas (Group 1), Curragh (May 2023) By Paul Jones There have been some surprise results down the years, but this Group 1 for three-year-old fillies usually goes more or less the way of the form book and especially of late, with 20 of the last 24 winners starting at no bigger than 6/1 and 12 of those either favourite or joint-favourite. Of the big three European versions of the 1000 Guineas, the Newmarket version has fared best, being responsible for 12 of the last 21 winners, with nine of those having finished in the first six at Newmarket. Last year’s odds-on Coronation Stakes winner Tahiyra finished second in the 1000 Guineas before winning the Irish 1000 Guineas. With only ¾ of a length covering the first five home in the 1000 Guineas, it was likely only a moderate renewal won by Elmalka, and there were a few hard-luck stories close in behind. Ramatuelle (3rd) was the best filly in the race to my eyes, but for a runner with questions to answer over a mile beforehand, she wasn’t given the best of rides to lead over two furlongs out before being nabbed late on by both the winner and Porta Fortuna (2nd). This mile around a bend and a less-aggressive ride should help Ramatuelle see out the trip better here. Fallen Angel was the disappointment of the 1000 Guineas back in eighth having been sent off favourite, but she was back to her very best when convincingly winning the Irish 1000 Guineas last month, the winner of which has followed up here on an eye-catching ten occasions in the last 37 years, which bodes well for Karl Burke’s Moyglare winner, who looked a different filly at the Curragh. Maybe the undulations of the Rowley Mile were against her? Her biggest danger could be the Irish 1000 Guineas third Opera Singer, who was ante-post favourite for the 1000 Guineas after winning the Prix Marcel Boussac until being ruled out with a setback. Aidan O’Brien stated that she would need her return run at the Curragh, so that could have put her absolutely spot on for Royal Ascot, though she still has 4¾ lengths to find with Fallen Angel. The French 1000 Guineas has more than held its own given that it wouldn’t have anywhere near the same representation as the Newmarket Classic, with seven of last 29 Coronation Stakes winners having previously contested that prize (the last of which was Watch Me five years ago, who was only sixth at ParisLongchamp) and five of those having finished either second or third in that French Classic. In 2015 the Aga Khan’s Ervedya became the first winner of the French 1000 Guineas to win the Coronation Stakes since Toro back in 1957, but many winners of that Classic often head to the Prix de Diane instead. Rouhiya won this season’s French 1000 Guineas and still holds an entry for the Coronation Stakes, as does Vespertilio (3rd) and Romantic Style (4th), who was only beaten 1½ lengths from a poor draw at ParisLongchamp. Rouhiya was the first of two fillies’ Classic winners for the Aga Khan this year, with Ezeliya then going on to win the Oaks, so will her owner decide to send her over to try and emulate Ervedya and Tahiyra. Alpine Star was an unusual winner four years ago as she became the first filly in nine years to take a more softly-softly approach and bypass all the European Guineas’ en route to her success here. She was also winning on her seasonal debut, as was Inspiral in 2022 having not come to hand in time for the 1000 Guineas. She became only the third winner since 1999 not to have run in a Classic, though she had won a Pattern race as a two-year-old like 13 of the last 20 winners. As far as trainer trends are concerned, Sir Michael Stoute has won four runnings, one ahead of Aidan O’Brien and the Gosden yard, but the record of the French overall certainly catches the eye with four winners in the last 14 years, while two of those that weren’t French-trained were instead French-owned and saddled by Jessica Harrington. A wider draw hasn’t been a disadvantage on the round mile. Far from it, in fact, with ten of the last 13 winners drawn in the higher half and six of those from the highest three stalls. Positives The Irish 1000 Guineas winner Finished in the first six in the 1000 Guineas Finished in the first three in the French 1000 Guineas The favourite French connections Won a Pattern race as a two-year-old Drawn in the higher half Negatives Not run in a Classic Likely to start bigger than 6/1 Beaten in the Irish 1000 Guineas