64 entries have been received for the Grade 1 Coral-Eclipse at the Coral Summer Festival at Sandown Park on Saturday 6th July.
The Coral-Eclipse offers the first opportunity of the season for the three-year-old classic generation to take on older horses at Group 1 level. Last year’s renewal was the richest race run at Sandown Park following the increase in prize money from £500,000 to £750,000.
Enable ended 2018 becoming the first horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf and the Prix Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in the same year despite the early part of her season being plagued by injury. The 2017 Investec Oaks winner is one of eight potential runners for trainer John Gosden who also has leading Investec Derby contender Too Darn Hot entered. The three-year-old colt is set to make his seasonal re-appearance in the Al Basti Equiworld Dante Stakes at York on Thursday having missed the Qipco 2000 Guineas through injury.
Aidan O’Brien has won the Coral-Eclipse five times and looks set to have another strong hand in this year’s renewal as he accounts for 18 of the 64 entries. Both 1000 and 2000 Guineas winners, Hermosa and Magna Grecia, could step up in trip whilst Investec Derby hopefuls Sir Dragonet, Japan and Anthony Van Dyke also hold an entry. Of the older horses Royal Ascot winner Magic Wand and Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes successor, Magical, could also line up for the Irish Champion trainer.
2018 Investec Derby winner, Masar, has not been seen since providing Godolphin with a first win in the Epsom Classic due to injury but the four year holds an entry for trainer Charlie Appleby, who won the race with Hawkbill in 2016. Masar is one of five entered for Appleby who could also run Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Line of Duty and Barney Roy, who recently returned to training after an unsuccessful spell at stud. Barney Roy was previously in training with Richard Hannon where he won the St James Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot before finishing a close second in the Coral-Eclipse in 2017.
Sea of Class was only beaten a neck when finishing second to Enable in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October and the pair could possibly meet again at Sandown Park. Sea of Class, trained by William Haggas, won both the Irish and Yorkshire Oaks last season.
Andrew Balding holds three entries for King Power Racing. Investec Derby hopeful, Bangkok, won the Bet365 classic trial at Sandown Park earlier this season whilst Beat the Bank was also successful at Sandown on the same day when winning the Group 2 Bet365 Mile. Fox Chairman makes up the team from Andrew Balding’s yard.
Other eye-catching entries include Crystal Ocean, who kicked off his campaign winning the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown Park for trainer Sir Michael Stoute and exciting three-year-old Surfman who is set to line up in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York on Thursday.
Coral’s David Stevens commented:
"It's another typically high class group of entries for our flagship flat racing sponsorship, and the Coral-Eclipse's position as the first top level clash of the generations is highlighted by an opening show of betting that has the four year old filly Sea Of Class and the year-younger colt Too Darn Hot as our 5-1 joint favourites."
Coral-Eclipse, Coral odds:
5 Sea Of Class, Too Darn Hot, 8 Magical, Magna Grecia, 10 Crystal Ocean, Enable, 12 Broome, Hermosa, Lah Ti Dar, 14 Ghaiyyath, Sir Dragonet, 16 Anthony Van Dyck, Circus Maximus, Old Persian, Pink Dogwood, Uae Jewel, 20 Bar.
Entries for the Coral-Eclipse:
Accidental Agent (GB), Addeybb (IRE), Anthony Van Dyck (IRE), Bangkok (IRE), Barney Roy (GB), Beat The Bank (GB), Broome (IRE), Cape of Good Hope (IRE), Century Dream (IRE), Circus Maximus (IRE), Constantinople (IRE), Crystal Ocean (GB), Danceteria (FR), Dark Vision (IRE), Dream Castle (GB), Elarqam (GB), Elwazir (GB), Enable (GB), Flag of Honour (IRE, Fox Chairman (IRE), Ghaiyyath (IRE), Hermosa (IRE), Hunting Horn (IRE), I Can Fly (GB), Japan (GB), Kick On (GB), Knight To Behold (IRE), Lah Ti Dar (GB), Line of Duty (IRE), Lord Glitters (FR), Lord North (IRE), Magic Wand (IRE), Magical (IRE), Magna Grecia (IRE), Masar (IRE), Matterhorn (IRE), Maverick Wave (USA), Mohawk (IRE), Mustashry (GB), Nayef Road (IRE), Norway (IRE), Old Persian (GB), Phoenix of Spain (IRE), Pink Dogwood (IRE), Rawdaa (GB), Regal Reality (GB), Romanised (IRE), Royal Marine (IRE), Salouen (IRE), Sea of Class (IRE), Sir Dragonet (IRE), Study of Man (IRE), Surfman (GB), Technician (IRE), Telecaster (GB)Thunder Snow (IRE), Thundering Blue (USA), Too Darn Hot (GB), Uae Jewel (GB), Western Australia (IRE), Whitlock (GB), Without Parole (GB), Worth Waiting (GB), Zabeel Prince (IRE).
Tickets are on sale now from £25.
