With exactly 50 days to go until the 2025 running of the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park on Saturday 5th July, it is announced today that Coral has renewed its sponsorship of the Group One contest for a further five years up to and including 2030.

The Coral-Eclipse is already the longest-running Pattern race sponsorship to be found anywhere in the world, with this year’s contest being the 50th to be staged under the Coral banner.

 

It was announced last month that prize money for the Coral-Eclipse in 2025 will reach a record £1 million, making it the most valuable contest ever run at Sandown Park.

Back when Coral’s sponsorship began in 1976, Britain was undergoing a legendary long, hot summer and the bestselling car was the Mk2 Ford Escort. James Callaghan had recently taken over as Prime Minister from Harold Wilson and the charts were topped by 10cc’s I’m Not In Love. The Coral-Eclipse was won by the Henry Cecil trained Wollow, although French horse Trepan was actually first past the post but was subsequently disqualified.

Over the ensuing half century of Coral’s sponsorship, the 10-furlong all-aged contest has been won by some of the all-time greats of the turf including Sadler’s Wells, Pebbles, Dancing Brave, Nashwan, Giant’s Causeway, Sea The Stars and Golden Horn. As recently as last year, the Coral-Eclipse winner City Of Troy was named the world’s joint-best racehorse of 2024 in the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings.

Sarah Drabwell, General Manager at Sandown Park Racecourse, said: “It is an amazing milestone for Coral to have reached 50 years of sponsorship of the Coral-Eclipse this year and it really is the icing on the cake to be able to announce a further extension of the sponsorship agreement today.

“The first £1-million Coral-Eclipse attracted a strong set of entries and is now just 50 days away. We look forward to working closely alongside Coral in the build-up and for many more years to come.”

Simon Clare, Coral PR Director, added: “We are immensely proud to have sponsored the Coral-Eclipse Stakes for 50 years and thrilled to be announcing the continuation of our partnership with Sandown Park and The Jockey Club for another five years, with the new record £1 million prize money in place for the race.

“Our 50-year and counting patronage of the Coral-Eclipse Stakes is the longest running Group race sponsorship in the world and is clear evidence, if evidence were needed, of Coral’s commitment to and passion for horseracing.”