Coral-Eclipse: runner-by-runner guide to Saturday's big race

The Coral-Eclipse is one of the highlights of the summer and truly one of the world's top races.

Named after the legendary racehorse of the 1700s, whose legacy lives on worldwide through his dominant sire line, the Sandown Group One is the first opportunity of the year to see how the Classic generation fares against the older horses, and the race has been won by some legends of the turf such as Mill Reef, Brigadier Gerard, Sadler's Wells, Dancing Brave, Mtoto, Halling, Daylami, Giant's Causeway, Hawk Wing, Falbrav, Sea The Stars, Enable and many more.

This year's contest, which is the 50th edition under Coral's sponsorship, looks set to be another epic renewal and has 11 runners confirmed at this stage. Below is a runner-by-runner guide to the race, which is live on Racing TV at 3.35pm on Saturday.

Best odds: 12-1.   Age: 4.   Official Rating: 117.

This four-year-old colt was last seen beating subsequent Prince Of Wales's Stakes winner Ombudsman (who is also set to line up in Saturday's race), in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes over the Eclipse course and distance just over a month ago.

The son of Lope De Vega was in receipt of 3lb that day, so taking that into account, there is nothing really to separate them from that run.

His trainer Ed Walker is having an unbelievable season - he has won no less than ten Listed or Group races since the beginning of May, so certainly knows how to ready one for a big assignment.

Lightly-raced for his age, Almaqam has had just eight starts and shapes as if there is every chance he can keep on improving further, but there is a nagging doubt about the ground should he encounter a very fast surface. 

He has only once ran on ground faster than good, where he only beat two rivals home.

Best odds: 12-1.   Age: 7.   Official Rating: 123.

The only gelding in the race, he is also the second-highest rated, but trainer Owen Burrows has already expressed doubts about his participation due to the anticipated fast ground.

If he were to run, he would be bidding to become the oldest winner in the history of the race, and even a six-year-old hasn't won the race since the inaugural running in 1886.

He does, however, have some top form on his CV, including winning last year's Champion Stakes at Ascot, and his two runs this season have seen him finish second in both the Tattersalls Gold Cup and Prince of Wales's Stakes.

Best odds: 13-2.   Age: 3.   Official Rating: 115.

One of six three-year-olds still in the race, he forms part of a three-pronged assault by Aidan O'Brien, all of whom are from the Classic generation.

This son of Wootton Bassett looks to be his main contender according to the market, not just because of the phenomenal year his sire is having, but also because of his progressive profile.

He has similarities to O'Brien's 2021 winner St Mark's Basilica, arriving in Esher off the back of a win in the French Derby.

It is worth remembering that the last four Coral-Eclipses have  gone to three-year-olds and that O'Brien is the winning-most trainer in the history of the race with eight victories, but one still imagines this Classic winner will need to take another step forward to win what will be his toughest test to date. 

Best odds: 8-1.   Age: 3.   Official Rating: 116.

It would be dangerous to discount Delacroix after he disappointed in the Derby last time out. After all, he was sent off 2-1 favourite off the back of two impressive victories over a mile and a quarter, and comfortably accounted for Lambourn in the Ballysax Stakes.

He is also ground versatile and it may yet be that Ryan Moore chooses to ride him, which would be an obvious positive, and he is not to be discounted back over what is surely a more preferable trip based on breeding (out of outstanding miler Tepin), although he does have a little bit to prove after never making an impression last time.

Best odds: 66-1.   Age: 3.   Official Rating: 113.

A talented colt who finished second in the Dewhurst, just a neck behind Shadow Of Light on his second start, which was also just seven days after making a winning debut.

He has not kicked on the year however, finishing ninth in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and then last of the nine runners in the Irish equivalent. 

His dam is a full-sister to Mohawk, who stayed a mile and a half, so this step up in trip is certainly worth a go, but it would be a surprise should he win on recent form and may just be a pace angle for his better fancied stablemates.

Best odds: 33-1.   Age: 3.   Official Rating: 117.

A fascinating runner for Jessica Harrington, this son of Too Darn Hot is another doubtful runner should the heavens not open, but looks overpriced at 33-1 on form.

Last seen finishing third in the Irish 2000 Guineas, he was well beaten by Field Of Gold, but then so was everybody. Prior to that, he fended off Delacroix to win the William Hill Futurity Trophy.

This would be his first run over further than a mile and Sandown is a proper test of a horse's stamina. His sire, whilst very good, isn't known for producing lots of middle-distance performers, but there are a few, and this colt is from the family of 1m2f winner Alexander Goldrun.

It would be no surprise should he run a big race, particularly with any easing of conditions.

Best odds: 13-8.   Age: 4.   Official Rating: 128.

The highest-rated horse in Europe after a sensational win in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot, he is deserving in his spot at the head of the market and doesn't appear to have any obvious weak points.

The only doubt over him is perhaps the track, with his sole defeat having came in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes, but he had to carry a penalty in that race and it was his seasonal reappearance. All things considered, it was probably still a career best effort at the time.

He was value for his two-length winning margin over Anmaat at Royal Ascot too. William Buick met all sorts of trouble and had to angle his mount out wide for a run, before he flew home to score impressively.

Another by a top stallion in Night Of Thunder, sire of Estrange and Desert Flower to name just two stars of this season, he should take plenty of beating.

Best odds: 16-1.   Age: 3.   Official Rating: 121.

If you'd have said after the 2000 Guineas that this horse would be 16-1 at the five-day stage for the Eclipse, people would have wondered what you were drinking.

However, two months is a long time in racing and, after being comfortably beaten by Field Of Gold in the St James's Palace Stakes, and after Godolphin's Ombudsman won so impressively the following day, Ruling Court looks somewhat of an outsider for this race.

That said, Charlie Appleby has always maintained that this horse would stay and potentially be even better over further, and he only took in Royal Ascot because he was a late non-runner in the Derby due to the ground.

He should have no problems staying this trip to my mind and, on that basis, his price looks on the juicy side at this stage, although it is hard to imagine William Buick riding him.

Best odds: 9-2.   Age: 4.   Official Rating: 119.

Andre Fabre has not had a runner in the Coral-Eclipse for two decades but has a great chance of winning it this weekend with the talented Sosie.

The son of Sea The Stars was a leading middle-distance colt in France last year, finishing third in the French Derby before winning the Grand Prix de Paris and Prix Niel over a mile and a half. He was then sent off favourite for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, where he finished fourth.

This year, he is two from two in Group One contests over 1m2½f and 1m1f, with his latest win coming in the Prix d'Ispahan over the latter trip.

This would still need a career best and he is yet to encounter fast ground, but there may yet be more to come from him over this trip and there are still few trainers as adept at readying one for a big race as 'The Master'.

Best odds: 25-1.   Age: 3.   Official Rating: 111.

Sometimes trainers are too quick to dismiss a horse as having not stayed off the back of just one piece of evidence and, whilst not staying at a mile and a half, I am pleased to see Ralph Beckett keeping this horse over middle-distances, as it would be hard to argue this horse didn't stay last time out in the Derby, particularly given the way he finished and the fact he was only a length and a half behind the runner-up.

Prior to that effort, he had been running over 7f and a mile, and finished a neck behind Delacroix in the Autumn Stakes on his final run at two, before reappearing with a facile win in a Salisbury conditions race as a prep for the Premier Classic.

He has had five starts and is two from two on Good to Firm ground, so would have no problems with quick conditions, although he also ran very well last Autumn on Good to Soft. Rates an interesting contender for the in-form Ralph Beckett.

Best odds: 20-1.   Age: 5.   Official Rating: 121.

The admirable grey was all set for round three with Los Angeles in the Prince of Wales's Stakes before he wasn't declared due to the fast ground. 

It is hard to see him running, let alone winning, if the ground is as fast at Sandown, but should there be some easing of conditions, he rates an interesting contender on form.

He had a luckless run when fourth in the Tattersalls Gold Cup last time out and had finished just a beck behind Los Angeles in the Mooresbridge the time before that, on what was his first run since comfortably beating the top-class Auguste Rodin over an extended mile and a quarter 344 days previously.

Stay tuned for my prediction after declarations on Thursday morning!