How To Bet £20 on Coral-Eclipse Day at Sandown on Saturday

There may only be four runners in Saturday's Coral-Eclipse, but you certainly can’t argue about the quality of the field and we are in for a mouth-watering clash between Mishriff, St Mark’s Basilica and Addeybb.

The former has beaten the best from all around the world on his past two starts, while Aidan O’Brien’s contender is improving, has also shown strong form this season and gets a handy weight allowance.

The ground conditions are also looking likely to be in Addeybb’s favour and he is the one to beat on the ratings, while El Drama needs to improve to trouble the other three.

At the time of writing, the going is good to soft on the sprint course and good, good to soft in places on the round course.

However, there is some rain due on Saturday morning, and it’s likely there will be plenty of cut in the ground.

The Group One showpiece will be a watching brief for me, and I like the chances of four running on the undercard. Best of luck with your bets, and please remember to gamble responsibly.

Keep Busy looked in need of the run on her seasonal debut before she ran an eye-catching race to finish fifth in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot on ground that would have been too fast for her.

After a sluggish start, she was on the back foot throughout before staying on, and she also appeared to struggle on fast ground when successful in a Listed contest at Ayr seven days later.

She was entitled to win that contest by further than she did, but she was well on top close home and was value for more than the winning margin suggests.

The classy filly progressed nicely last season and produced a career-best effort to finish runner-up to Glass Slippers in the Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh, which is strong form, and she was also not beaten far in the Prix de l’Abbeye next time out.

John Quinn’s filly ran nine times in the space of four months in 2020 and appeared to thrive off her racing, so it is not a concern that this is her third outing in the space of 18 days.

She has a good draw in stall one and there does not look to be a huge amount of pace on here, with Atalis Bay, who is drawn four, the only likely front-runner in the line-up. I expect Keep Busy to track Marco Botti’s charge and will hopefully be able to get first run on those who like to be held up.

Lazuli, who defeated the selection at Sandown last year, looks the main danger, although Charlie Appleby may not run his Palace House Stakes winner due to ground concerns, and Keep Busy has certainly improved bundles since they last met.

This consistent performer progressed again after landing this contest 12 months ago and looks to hold strong claims of recording back-to-back victories on Saturday.

Despite being 9lb higher this year, Adam Farragher, who rode 20 winners in Ireland before joining William Haggas, claims a useful 5lb and his mount defied a rating of 104 when successful in a valuable York handicap following his Sandown victory.

The five-year-old also finished runner-up in a strong Listed contest over course and distance and his only blip last year was on his final start in the Cambridgeshire Stakes, but it is easy to forgive that effort as he raced on an unfavourable part of the track

Although it is a slight concern he hasn’t been seen since his third in a Listed contest on his return in March, he looked as good as ever on that occasion and is also two from two following a break of 200-plus days, so the 98-day absence is not a huge concern.

The five-year-old will handle any cut in the ground and has an ideal draw in stall four, which should allow him to get a good position as he likes to race handy.

I thought he should be shorter than the general 11-2 on offer, especially with his trainer operating at a 27 per cent strike-rate in the past fortnight.

The improving four-year-old had caught the eye over inadequate trips before proving the step up to ten furlongs was a wise move when runner-up in a similar handicap to this at York in May. He would have also arguably won the Zetland Gold Cup in a few more strides last time out, and that looks strong form.

He appeared to take a while to get going in the Redcar feature which is what makes me think that some cut in the ground and a stiff finish will suit him here.

He remains unexposed over this trip and his effort last time out was a career best, so he should be capable of defying a 2lb higher mark plus he has a good draw in stall one.

Most of his rivals haven’t produced form as strong as his, or are beginning to look exposed, so with further progression on the horizon, he ought to take the beating.

Being a half-brother to Twilight Son, Run To Freedom is certainly bred to be smart and showed bundles of promise as a two-year-old, including when defeating Highland Avenue, who has won at Listed level since, in a race that has worked out well.

The son of four-time Group One winner Muhaarar raced keenly on his return to action over course and distance before his early exuberance, and the lack of race fitness, took its toll in the closing stages.

The way he travelled into the race suggested he’s a horse ahead of his mark, though, and it will be a surprise if he doesn’t take another step forward here with that run under his belt, despite being raised another 3lb.

Although he has a sprinting pedigree, he’s already proved he stays seven furlongs and stuck to his task well under pressure last time out.

Oisin Murphy is also an eye-catching jockey booking and his draw in stall three is certainly not a negative.

1.50 Sandown: Keep Busy £3 win at a general 5-1

2.25 Sandown: Montatham £2 win at a general 11-2

4.10 Sandown: Makram £5 win at 7-2 with William Hill

4.45 Sandown: Run To Freedom £4 win at a general 7-2

£1 doubles on the four selections above (£6)