EMILY DICKINSON can provide trainer Aidan O’Brien with a record-extending ninth victory in the Ascot Gold (British Champions Series) on day three of Royal Ascot 2023.
The Ballydoyle maestro knows better than most what is takes to win the Group One feature of the third day of the Royal meeting at the Berkshire track, having struck with a record four successes from the great Yeats and also 12 months ago with Kyprios. Both of those horses were top middle-distance performers stepping up to the marathon 2m4f of the Gold Cup and Emily Dickinson can do something similar. With Kyprios unable to defend his crown due to injury, the Group One contest looks one of the most wide-open renewals in recent years.
Emily Dickinson ran well, not beaten far in sixth behind the reopposing Roger Varian-trained Eldar Eldarov, in the St Leger last September and also ran a fine race when fourth in the Prix de Royallieu at ParisLongchamp the following month. On her first try stepped up to two miles in the the Group Three Loughbrown Stakes at Curragh on her final start of the season she was hugely impressive, winning by five-and-a-half lengths. She won the Listed Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan on her return to action in April. And although she disappointed when only sixth sent off the odds-on favourite in the Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes last month, she is clearly much better than that and the Gold Cup has been her main aim. She has run well on soft conditions but should also handle firmer ground as she did when she was a staying-on third behind Sea La Rosa in the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last July.
