Coral-Eclipse tips, preview, odds and free bets

Sandown Park Racecourse hosts the historic Eclipse on Saturday as part of the British Champions Series.

The 1m2f Group 1 contest is set up to benefit three-year-olds with a big weight allowance, but that doesn’t always mean they always win.

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However, the big odds-on favourite for this year’s running should make all with 10lb in hand on his rivals City Of Troy should really display his potential after winning The Derby last month.

While there is a distinct advantage for the three-year-olds it only really pays off when there is that potential from a horse up against the older horses.

For instance, Enable was always going to need something special to beat him back in 2019 and he won nicely under Frankie Dettori at the age of five.

In 2020 the race was contested without three-year-olds to enable for race alterations as part of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other notable three-year-old winners however, show just how prominent these horses go on to be and how the race really separates the best from the best, if they do indeed have that potential.

Sea The Stars, Golden Horn and Roaring Lion are some notable winners recently who’ve all gone on to be top sires.

City Of Troy is such a short price that will put plenty of punters off but there are some chances each-way for a place payout and to cover the unexpected of the Aidan O’Brien-trained horse losing, not running as expected or being a non-runner.

Paddington won last year under Ryan Moore for trainer O’Brien to claim his seventh Eclipse title.

That three-year-old also had all the potential and promise going into that race so it was no surprise to see him come out on top ahead of Emily Upjohn.

The race is usually won at a time of just over two minutes, with some exceptions of soft or heavy going which usually adds a good few seconds to the winning time.

For instance when the going was soft in 2016 it was won at 2 minutes 10 seconds by Hawkbill, while in 2021 when it was on the softer side of good to soft, it was run at the same rate by St Mark’s Basilica.

Those times have been the joint slowest since 2002, when O’Brien also won it with Hawk Wing.

City Of Troy won the Derby on good to soft ground with a winning time of 2m 38s, which wasn’t overly fast but there was a strong pace set throughout which suggests this horse will be able to make all over the step down in trip.

He recorded an 11.63s furlong three out and a faster 12.76s final furlong with tremendous staying power on display.

Coral-Eclipse Odds

• City Of Troy – 4/7
• White Birch – 5/1
• Dancing Gemini – 10/1
• Ghostwriter – 10/1
• Luxembourg – 12/1
• Jayarebe – 25/1
• Al Riffa – 33/1
• Continuous – 33/1
• Stay Alert – 66/1
• Hans Andersen – 100/1
• See The Fire – 100/1

Coral-Eclipse Tips

Ghostwriter to place

The Clive Cox-trained colt Ghostwriter, by Invincible Spirit has huge potential here, having shown pace to keep on terms with the front few in the 2000 Guineas in May.

Then upped to 1m2f for the first time was a decent fourth again on testing ground at Chantilly’s Qatar Prix du Jockey Club.

He has only ever gone well on good and good to firm and after that prominent display in a Group 1, still unexposed over this trip, might surprise a few with a better finish.

The horse, likely to be ridden by either William Buick or Richard Kingscote, has the winning mentality shown even as a two-year-old going unbeaten, including in the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes.

He’s one of the few other three-year-olds yet to really show what he’s capable of and has the potential to make the most of the 10lb allowance from horses like White Birch and Luxembourg.

Combination Trifecta – City Of Troy, White Birch, Ghostwriter

White Birch is a horse that shouldn’t be underestimated either despite the penalty.

He beat Auguste Rodin at the Curragh in May and is now unbeaten in three runs as a four-year-old, each over 1m2f.

It’s likely the odds have this right but if the order can change, a tricast/trifecta will pay out very well and still pay out nicely if City Of Troy finishes first, with White Birch or Ghostwriter in second or third.

Tom Lunn’s Profit/Loss

• P/L from May ’24: +112.36pts
• P/L from July ’23: +324.92pts

All odds correct at time of writing

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