Coronation Stakes

Stu Williams has named his winner of the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot as part of his complete runners guide for the race.

Coronation Stakes Runners Guide 

Opera Singer

Opera Singer only gave way to race fit rivals when placing third on her seasonal reappearance in the Irish 1000 Guineas and she could easily reverse that form here.

Aidan O’Brien’s filly displayed a progressive profile as a two-year-old, winning on three of her five visits to the racecourse culminating in an impressive 5 lengths success in the Group 1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp.

It was clearly a bold move to head to the Curragh first time out this year. However, Opera Singer will undoubtedly strip fitter on this occasion and connections may be able to gain compensation.

Elmalka

Emalka took her form to a whole new level when defying odds of 28/1 in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and early indications suggest the form will work out well after the eighth placed Fallen Angel landed the Irish 1000 Guineas next time out.

The Kingman filly came from last to first on that occasion and displayed a really pleasing attitude in the final furlong, when passing three rivals to get her head in-front in the shadows of the post.

Emalka will face many of the same rivals on this occasion and will undoubtedly command more respect. However, she still showed signs of inexperience at Newmarket and could easily have even more improvement to come. 

Ramatuelle

Ramatuelle likely traded at short prices in running after hitting the front in the closing stages of the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and she was only narrowly touched off by the fast finishing duo of Elmalka and Porta Fortuna.

The French raider was placed prominently and travelled powerfully throughout for the majority of that classic contest and she and jockey Aurelien Lemaitre potentially thought they’d done enough after pulling out a 2 length lead heading into the final furlong.

Christopher Head’s filly scored at both Group 2 and Group 3 level as a two-year-old and she came within a head of defeating the well regarded Vandeek in the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville last August.

I would expect slightly more patient tactics on this occasion and it could easily reap significant rewards.

Porta Fortuna

Porta Fortuna took her racing really well as a two-year-old, winning four times from seven attempts including the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket in September.

Donnacha O’Brien’s filly also managed a third placed finish in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh and a brace of runner-up efforts in the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes and Group 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

The latter of those efforts was her first attempt over a mile and her second attempt came when narrowly being denied in the 1000 Guineas on her seasonal reappearance.

Porta Fortuna finished strongly on that occasion and is entitled to improve for the run, which would make her of obvious interest here. 

Devoted Queen

This contest represents a steep rise in class for Devoted Queen, who has won all three of her previous outings including a smart 2 lengths success in the Listed Sky Bet Fillies’ Stakes at York last month.

The Godolphin filly built upon her AW win at Kempton in April when defeating some solid rivals with relative ease at York, where she shaped as though an extra furlong would be right up her street.
Devoted Queen will get that extra yardage on this occasion and is most certainly worthy of a shot at this level.

Rouhiya

French raider Rouhiya took her form to a new level when landing the Group 1 Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp last month and she remains open to improvement over this trip.

The Aga Khan bred three-year-old hinted at ability when scoring over six-and-a-half-furlongs at Deauville last November and she was likely in need of the run when placing third on on her seasonal reappearance.

It’s fair to say that Rouhiya will encounter stiffer opposition in this contest, but she is clearly heading in the direction and should not be dismissed.

Content

Content raced no fewer than seven times as a two-year-old and she amassed some respectable form along the way, including a fourth place finish in the Group 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

The Ballydoyle inmate collected Group 3 honours at the Curragh last October and she was only beaten a shade over two lengths when placing eighth on her seasonal reappearance in the Group 1 Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp last month.

That said, Content will face by far her toughest task to date when lining up in this contest and she will almost certainly require a career best effort in order to feature prominently. 

Skellet

Skellet has something to prove at this level following a disappointing showing in the Irish 1000 Guineas and she will face an even tougher assignment on this occasion.

Ralph Beckett’s charge won one of her three starts as a two-year-old which came on the fastest ground she has encountered and she will likely encounter similar conditions in this contest.

That said, Skellet has plenty to find with the majority of these on the form book and it’s hard to envisage a scenario in which she plays a significant role.

See The Fire

See The Fire is on somewhat of a retrieval mission following a disappointing showing in the 1000 Guineas and question marks are starting to appear in terms of her two-year-old form.

Ballydoyle inmate Ylang Ylang has done little to advertise See The Fire’s third place finish in the Group 1 bet365 Filles Mile at Newmarket last October and the form of her previous defeat also took a blow when Darnation could only beat two rivals home in the aforementioned 1000 Guineas. 

It would clearly be foolish to write Andrew Balding’s charge off at this early stage. However, it’s hard to back her with confidence in a race as hot as this.

Folgaria

Folgaria was 5-5 when trained by Stefano Botti in Italy and the Due Diligence filly was successful on her stable debut for Marco Botti in the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury. 

However, that streak came to an abrupt end in the Group 1 Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp last month.

Folgaria could only place 11th on that occasion, which is understandably disappointing. However, she was only beaten five-and-a-half-lengths in a muddling race and she could easily fare better on this occasion.

It’s worth noting that Folgaria had subsequent 1000 Guineas heroine Elmalka back in third place when scoring at Newbury in April and she could easily run better than the market would suggest.

Coronation Cup Tips & Predictions

1000 Guineas heroine Elmalka clearly warrants respect and there was plenty to like about the way in which she went from last to first at Newmarket.

Opera Singer is entitled to improve from her seasonal reappearance in the Irish 1000 Guineas and she could prove tough to beat if running up to the form of her five lengths success in the Prix Marcel Boussac.

Last year’s Albany winner Porta Fortuna finished strongly at Newmarket and should run well once again.

While French raider Rouhiya has the measure of many of her rivals judged on her win in last month’s Group 1 Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp and she should not be readily dismissed.

However, RAMATUELLE travelled like the best horse in the 1000 Guineas and she may well have triumphed had she been delivered later.

The Christopher Head trained three-year-old achieved a smart level of form over seven furlongs and she could prove even better over a mile given how well she travels through her races.

Ramatuelle’s best performances have arguably been achieved on better ground and that’s what she will encounter here.

To back Stu Williams’ Ramatuelle pick for the Coronation Stakes directly through oddschecker at a guaranteed best price, click on the odds below.