Saturday 6th July 2019
Author: Jordan Yates
Image: Jordan Yates
Graphics: Logopit Plus
Sandown Eclipse
(Group 1)
The Eclipse is the showpiece event this weekend in the racing world this weekend with the Group 1 event taking place at 3.35 at Sandown Park. The race is contested over a distance of a mile and two furlongs and it sees the return of one of racings superstars in the mighty filly that is Enable. She hasn’t been seen since her Breeders Cup last year but she’s apparently been showing enough at home to suggest she’s ready for a run and up for a tilt at this. She’s once again partnered up with Frankie and is a best priced of 10/11 to make a winning reappearance. The horse Enable beat the last day at the Breeders Cup re opposes here again here and that’s the Aidan O’Brien trained filly Magical. Winner of four of her five starts this term including a Group 1 she was last seen when finishing runner up in the Prince Of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot when going off the 5/4 favourite. She’ll be the mount of Ryan Moore again here and is trading at a general 7/2 on this occasion.
Sir Michael Stoute has two representatives in the line-up and the first of these comes in the form of Regal Reality who’s the ride of three-time Melbourne Cup winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy. This four year old by Intello was last seen when winning the Brigadier Gerard Stakes here in May and has been well supported in the betting for his top connections. Mustashry also represents Sir Michael here, winner of the Lockinge in May he was last seen when finishing seventh in the Queen Anne at Ascot when going off favourite. He’ll be looking to bounce back to the form of his Lockinge win here and is a general 16/1 chance under Jim Crowley.
Another Group 1 winner in the field is Roger Varian’s Zabeel Prince. He claimed top level success in France on his penultimate outing but was outclassed when last seen in the Prince Of Wales Stakes at Ascot and finished down the field. He’s currently trading at around 25/1 and is the mount of Andrea Atzeni. Hughie Morrison is hopeful Telecaster can bounce back to the form of his Dante success as he is set to take his chance here under Oisin Murphy following a very poor showing in the Derby where he was well fancied. He’s a best priced of around 12/1 on this occasion. Danceteria and Hunting Horn conclude the line up at 50/1 and 66/1 respectively.
Race Verdict:
A fascinating spectacle in store here of which I’m going to keep my verdict of pretty simple as I think ENABLE will win this and win it pretty decisively. Her main rival looks to be Magical however Enable got the better of her Prince Of Wales conqueror Crystal Ocean in pretty decisive fashion on reappearance last year. The two weren’t separated by all that much at the Breeders Cup when they last met, however, I still believe that the O’Brien filly would have to step up markedly if she was to topple John Gosden’s superstar. Regal Reality looks the most likely to nab a place however if you don’t wish to take the short odds of Enable I think ZABEEL PRINCE is a massive price at 25/1. This season he’s already won a Group 1 as well as a very hot renewal of the Group 3 Earl Of Sefton at Newmarket. That price, in my opinion, is far too big.
WIN: ENABLE (10/11)
EACH WAY: ZABEEL PRINCE (25/1)
Sandown
1.50: GARRUS (4/1)
2.25: MOJITO (7/1) (E/W)
3.00: HIDDEN MESSAGE (4/1)
3.35: ENABLE (4/5) – ZABEEL PRINCE (25/1) (E/W)
4.10: CHAPELLI (9/2)
4.45: FALCON EIGHT (1/1)
Haydock
2.05: MIND THE CRACK (10/3)
2.40: KLASSIQUE (9/4)
3.15: AL MUFFRIH (5/2)
Everything Racing 