120 Years Of The Coronation Cup

A R A C E S T E E P E D I N R O Y A L T Y 1 2 0 Y E A R S O F T H E C O R O N A T I O N C U P

The Group One DahlBury Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs today achieves a notable milestone as it celebrates its 120th anniversary. Staged over the same mile and a half course as the Oaks and Derby but for horses aged four and older, the Coronation Cup first took place in 1902. The race was first run to celebrate the accession to the throne of King Edward VII, who enjoyed three victories in The Derby thanks to Persimmon (1896), Diamond Jubilee (1900) and Minoru (1909), as well as winning the Grand National at Aintree with Ambush II (1900). Edward VII was The Queen’s great grandfather and her only equal as sovereign in his passion for racing. In this year of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, The Derby remains the only race among the five British Classics that The Queen has not won. She came closest in 1953 when Aureole was runner-up to Pinza. The 1953 Derby was staged on a Saturday 6th June, four days after The Queen’s own coronation. While Aureole may not have won The Derby, his subsequent achievements mark him out as the best horse owned by The Queen so far. In 1954 he returned to Epsom Downs for the Coronation Cup and gained some compensation for his Derby defeat of 12 months earlier as he scored impressively by five lengths. He followed up with victory in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot and enjoyed great success as a stallion, being crowned champion sire in 1960 and 1961. His progeny included St Paddy, the 1960 Derby winner. While Aureole is the only Royal winner of the Coronation Cup, it is a race that has been won by some of the all-time greats including Pretty Polly, Petite Etoile, Mill Reef, Time Charter, Triptych and Yeats. We are delighted to welcome DahlBury as the new sponsor of the race in 2022.