Sariska, Midday could renew rivalry in Coronation Cup

Last season's Epsom (Eng-G1) and Irish Oaks (Ire-G1) heroine SARISKA

(Pivotal) is to bid for another famous Epsom Downs triumph in the £225,000 Coronation Cup

(Eng-G1) going 1 1/2 miles on June 4, after being named among the 35 entries (three more than

in 2009) for the contest revealed Wednesday.

The Michael Bell-trained four-year-old is set to return to the scene of her

greatest triumph, where she could renew rivalry with Epsom Oaks

runner-up and subsequent Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) winner

MIDDAY (GB) (Oasis Dream [GB]), who is trained by Henry Cecil.

Sariska added the Irish Oaks to her Epsom Downs triumph before finishing second

to last month's Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1) heroine DAR RE MI (GB) (Singspiel

[Ire]) in the

Yorkshire Oaks (Eng-G1). The Lady Bamford-owned filly rounded off her three-year-old

campaign when third to the Cecil-trained Twice Over (GB) (Observatory) in the Champion

S. (Eng-G1) at Newmarket in October.

"Sariska is very well -- she looks a picture," Bell revealed. "Historically,

you get decent ground at Epsom on the Friday so the Coronation Cup is

very much in this year's program.

"After Epsom, the season's principal target if all goes to plan is the Prix de

l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) but there is a lot of water to pass under the bridge betwixt

now and then."

The Mick Channon-trained YOUMZAIN (Sinndar) has finished runner-up in the last three

renewals of the Arc and, having filled second place in the past two Coronation

Cups, connections are hoping to break the trend with victory at Epsom in June.

The seven-year-old was three-quarters of a length behind Soldier of Fortune

(Ire) (Galileo [Ire]) in the 2008 Coronation Cup and agonizingly went down by a

nose to ASK (GB) (Sadler's Wells) in 2009.

Youmzain has been below his best in two starts this winter, finishing

down the field at Sha Tin in December and five lengths behind Dar Re Mi in Dubai

last month.

"Youmzain is doing well since returning from Dubai," said Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Jaber

Abdullah. "He did a little bit of work

yesterday morning and Mick (Channon) was very happy with him. He won't have a

run before the Coronation Cup, he'll go straight to Epsom.

"He has been second in the Coronation Cup twice and in the Arc three times so we

can hope that he can pick up a win this time. It would be great and we live in

hope. We feel he still has what it takes at the top because he is the best horse at

home. He looks good and does everything nicely. He is not an impressive horse at

home but he appears to be in good shape. Other horses are improving and as a

seven-year-old I doubt that he will improve so it is a case of whether he

retains his ability.

"At his age, he is entitled to put in a bad run or two. They didn't go quite as

quick as he wanted to in Dubai -- he was stuck out wide and it wasn't his best

run. He seems to run his best races at Epsom and Longchamp, so we are hopeful."

The fantastic entry also includes last year's winner, the Sir Michael

Stoute-trained Ask. The Newmarket handler, with four wins in the race, has also

engaged Group 3-placed listed winner GLASS HARMONIUM (Verglas [Ire]), Group 3

victor HARBINGER (Dansili [GB]) and Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud

(Fr-G1) winner SPANISH MOON (El Prado [Ire]), who was a length third to Dar Re Mi in the Dubai Sheema

Classic.

Aidan O'Brien, who took the prize in 2005 (Yeats [Ire]), 2007 (Scorpion [Ire]) and 2008

(Soldier Of Fortune), has a strong hand that includes FAME AND GLORY (Montjeu

[Ire]), runner-up

to Sea the Stars in last year's Epsom Derby (Eng-G1) and a runaway victor of the Irish

Derby (Ire-G1). He could be joined by Group 3 scorer AGE OF AQUARIUS (Galileo

[Ire]), DIXIE MUSIC (Montjeu [Ire]) and dual Group 3-placed YANKEE DOODLE (Dalakhani).

Also among the six Irish-trained entries is the Kevin Prendergast-trained

RECHARGE (Cape Cross [Ire]), who captured last year's Leopardstown Two Thousand

Guineas Trial (Ire-G3).

As well as the brilliant Dar Re Mi, John Gosden has engaged listed hero ALWAARY

(Dynaformer), last season's Coronation Cup fourth DUNCAN (Dalakhani) and HIGH

HEELED (High Chaparral [Ire]),

who was third to Sariska in the Epsom Oaks for former handler Barry Hills.

Cecil has entered Midday alongside the twice-raced but well-regarded

BLIZZARD BLUES (Mr. Greeley) and Edward VII S. (Eng-G2) victor FATHER TIME (GB)

(Dansili [GB]).

Godolphin has nine entries divided between trainers Saeed bin Suroor, Andre

Fabre and Mahmood Al Zarooni, including Arc third CAVALRYMAN (Halling), CUTLASS

BAY (Halling),

CAMPANOLOGIST (Kingmambo), EASTERN ANTHEM (Singspiel [Ire]) and English St. Leger

(Eng-G1) one-two MASTERY (GB) (Sulamani [Ire]) and KITE WOOD (Galileo [Ire]).

Suroor

has landed the spoils twice, while Fabre is the winningest trainer in the

race's history with six successes, the most recent for the French master being Shirocco

(Ger) in 2006.

The Mark Johnston-trained JUKEBOX JURY (Ire) (Montjeu [Ire]) saw off EASTERN

ANTHEM (Singspiel [Ire]) to land the Preis von Europa (Ger-G1) in September, while the progressive LAAHEB

(Cape Cross [Ire]) and Prix Guillaume d'Ornano (Fr-G2) winner SRI PUTRA (Oasis

Dream [GB]) could represent trainer Michael Jarvis.