"Forgotten horse" Mishriff on course for Eclipse after workout

David Egan put Mishriff through his paces on the Newmarket gallops on Wednesday morning as the Coral-Eclipse approaches.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained five-year-old has not been seen since disappointing in defence of his Saudi Cup title on dirt.

But Mishriff has won over £11,000,000 in prize money and it would be foolish to write him off at Sandown – especially based on his six-length victory in last year’s Juddmonte International at York, when subsequent Group One winner Alenquer and multiple top-level scorer Love chased him home.

Having finished third in the Eclipse 12 months ago to last year’s French Derby winner St Mark’s Basilica, this year’s Chantilly hero Vadeni – who needs to be supplemented – is favourite with the sponsors at 15-8.

“Mishriff will go to the Eclipse, he was on the Cambridge Road for a blow-out today and was on the July Course on Saturday with Rab Havlin and David Egan rode him today. Both of those went quite well,” said Ted Voute, racing manager to owner Prince Faisal.

“I think he might be going in as something of a forgotten horse, but I quite like that as it kind of takes the pressure off.

“John is in form with his horses and if he can get him back to where he was in last year’s Juddmonte then he should be there or thereabouts, with any luck.

“As John proved with Nashwa at the weekend bringing her back to win a Classic 16 days after her previous run, there’s nobody better at doing it.

“I’d say the Eclipse and the Juddmonte are the two major aims for him.”

Mishriff is a top-priced 7-1 for the Eclipse with Betfair and Paddy Power.

Meanwhile, Derby absentee Eydon is back in training with options at York or in France pencilled in for his comeback.

The Roger Varian-trained colt finished fourth in the 2000 Guineas and after connections deliberated long and hard about giving him the go-ahead for Epsom, he was almost immediately ruled out with a setback.

It was not too serious, though, and the Sky Bet York Stakes on July 23 or the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano at Deauville on August 15 are the races under consideration.

“Everything is going in the right direction, but when you have a setback that means you miss the Derby in reality you miss Ascot as well which is slightly disappointing,” said Voute.

“He was going to start back in earnest after Ascot and there’s a Group Two at York or the race Mishriff won in France, the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano.

“Everything is stepping up now, he’s in the Eclipse but that will all probably come too soon and I think it will suit him to step up slowly. There are Group Ones over 10 and 12 furlongs at the end of the year that he will be well entered up for and he’ll have the opportunity if he shows up well in one of those Group Twos.

“These things happen, he’s a big strong horse. He clouted the front of his cannon, but there was nothing materially wrong and he was kept swimming and in the spa and he’s back to 100 per cent.

“The 2000 Guineas has worked out exceptionally well, it looks a very strong Guineas but at the same time we’re still only a Listed winner and broke our maiden doing that. Let’s hope we get the chance to prove he’s as good as the form is pointing to.”