Conduit targeting Eclipse glory

The team behind Conduit are hoping he can burst the Sea The Stars bubble in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.Already a Breeders' Cup and St Leger winner, the Sir Michael Stoute-trained four-year-old reappeared in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes where he narrowly failed to concede 7lb to the reopposing Cima De Triomphe."We were obviously very pleased with his first run of the season. Sir Michael's horses always tend to improve for their first run, too, so that is a positive," said Peter Reynolds, racing manager for owners Ballymacoll Stud."It has not been a concerted effort by us to get a Group One over 10 furlongs into him. Sir Michael has always said this horse is effective over a range of distances - he is not your typical St Leger winner."Giving 7lb away to everything the other day, he ran very well over this distance."John Oxx's horse (Sea The Stars) looks exceptional, there is no doubting that, but it's not a one-horse race, we are in there with a chance we hope."He showed on Derby day last year when he won over 10 furlongs that he has a fine turn of foot."We've beaten a Derby winner (Benny The Dip) before in the Eclipse with Pilsudski and ironically that day Mick Kinane rode ours - Pilsudski was a year older though."Lang Shining is in there to make the running and it was always our intention to make it a properly-run race. Richard Hughes rides him and he is riding with so much confidence at the moment and he is a very good judge of pace."Sea The Stars is bidding to emulate Nashwan, who was the last horse to win the 2000 Guineas, Derby and Eclipse in the same season 20 years ago. Since then four Derby winners have run in the Eclipse - Erhaab, Benny The Dip, Motivator and Authorized - and all have been beaten.