Stars aligned for stellar renewal of Coral-Eclipse

Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse at Sandown is shaping up to be the race of the season so far, with a plethora of Group One winners confirmed on Monday, headed by Ombudsman.

John and Thady Gosden’s four-year-old came of age at Royal Ascot when winning the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and only has one defeat on his record.

That was in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at the hands of Ed Walker’s Almaqam and the two could clash again at the weekend.

Back in second at Ascot was Owen Burrows’ evergreen Champion Stakes winner Anmaat, although connections will want to see more rain than is currently forecast.

“He needs rain to run. We’re having a look and there is a few showers about Wednesday and Thursday, but he would need a drop of rain,” said Burrows.

“We’re on weather-watch a bit so he’s by no means a definite runner.

“The showers are so hit and miss. It feels like you could get a real good thunder storm as it is so hot and muggy but you might only get 2-4mm and Andrew Cooper (clerk of the course) would be putting all that and more on with watering, so that’s not going to make much difference.

“We just felt because it is so hot if there are a few thunderstorms it’s worth leaving him in but he would need a nice drop of rain – more than what they are forecasting.

“He’s come out of Ascot well but this is just two and a half weeks later so I wouldn’t want to be running him on fast ground again.”

Andre Fabre has had the race as a target for some time for Sosie. Beaten favourite when fourth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last season, he has won the Prix Ganay and Prix d’Ispahan this term over shorter trips.

Charlie Appleby’s 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court could aim to bounce back from his defeat in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

Aidan O’Brien has left three in, the French Derby winner Camille Pissarro, Delacroix, who was sent off favourite in the Derby, and Epanded.

Jessica Harrington’s Hotazhell, a Group One winner at two, Ralph Beckett’s Derby fifth Stanhope Gardens and Joseph Murphy’s White Birch complete the top-class potential field of 11.

The sponsors have installed Ombudsman as their 13-8 favourite ahead of Sosie at 9-2.

“With all the leading contenders standing their ground at the latest entry stage, we have the prospect of a stellar line-up for this year’s Coral-Eclipse, the 50th running of the race under our sponsorship,” said Coral’s David Stevens.

“This is the traditional first clash of the generations, and so it’s fitting there are both Group One-winning older horses and Classic-winning three-year-olds prominent in the betting.”