Emily Upjohn on track for mouthwatering Dubai clash with Rebel's Romance

Last year’s Oaks runner-up Emily Upjohn is on track to make an early seasonal reappearance in Dubai next month when she could clash with Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Rebel’s Romance in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

The four-year-old, who Paddy Power have introduced as 5-2 joint-favourite alongside Japan's Equinox for the Meydan Group 1, is most famous for going down by just a short head to Tuesday at Epsom last June, but later gained an elusive first top-level win in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot in October.

After her Classic reversal, the John and Thady Gosden-trained filly was part sold by her owner Jon Shack to Andrew and Madeleine Lloyd-Webber, but she had an inauspicious start in the pink colours when bringing up the rear in the Group 1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes after running too free.

Given nearly three months off and fitted with a hood for the first time, Emily Upjohn then bounced back to form when scoring by three lengths from Thunder Kiss under Frankie Dettori at Ascot.

Emily Upjohn in Newmarket on Wednesday morning

Given that Dettori is currently on a farewell tour of the world, the $6 Million Sheema Classic could be a good fit for the jockey’s schedule on March 25.

In her latest piece of work, Emily Upjohn was watched by Lloyd-Webber’s racing manager Simon Marsh as she went through her paces on the Al Bahathri Polytrack in Newmarket on Wednesday morning.

Marsh said: “We’ll see what the joint-trainers think, but Emily Upjohn looks in good form for the time of year. We’ve had two runners in the Sheema Classic before, winning it with Dar Re Mi in 2010 when she was William Buick’s first ride for the yard. A few years later, The Fugue disappointed in it, but she did come back and win the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot in a course record time.”

As well as Dar Re Mi, John Gosden won the 1m4f Sheema Classic in 2017 with Jack Hobbs and joined forces with his son to follow up with Mishriff in 2021.

Paddy Power spokesman Paul Binfield said: “Emily Upjohn adds a lot of spice to the Sheema Classic and means we are now unable to split her and Japanese hope Equinox at the front of the market with Rebel's Romance only a fraction behind. It really could be a classic with team Gosden looking for further compensation for her very unlucky defeat in last year’s Oaks.”

Read more here

'I've barely allowed myself to think about Saturday' - star stayer Subjectivist on comeback trail in Saudi 

Aidan O'Brien leads strong international challenge at Qatar's big meeting 

Doha: Oisin Murphy continues hot start on good afternoon for overseas runners 

Do you want £200+ of free bets for Cheltenham? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.