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Home , Crystal Ocean, Michael Stoute, Zabeel Prince

The 2019 Coral-Eclipse Runner-by-runner guide The 2019 Coral-Eclipse: Runner-by-runner guide

THE CORAL-ECLIPSE IS THE MID-SUMMER, MIDDLE-DISTANCE HIGHLIGHT OF THE FLAT CALENDAR IN BRITAIN AND THE SHOWPIECE FIXTURE AT SANDOWN

• Racegoers are in for a treat at the Esher venue on Saturday as they will get a chance to salute , the most famous mare in Europe • Since winning the 2017 Oaks by five lengths in a spectacular Epsom downpour, she has won six further Group Ones without tasting defeat, but has not been seen since seeing off the determined challenge of in the Breeders’ Cup Turf last year • Magical will clash swords with the daughter of Nathaniel once again, while there are plenty of others capable of putting it up to John Gosden’s number one stablestar • Here’s a guide to the eight declared runners plus a verdict

1 DANCETERIA 3

Trainer: David Menuisier Trainer: Sir Represents a likeable Won the Lockinge in yard which often May when beating produces over-achieving some good milers like horses and has the Laurens, Beat The Bank benefit of two wins from and subsequent Queen three this term. Anne winner . The most recent of those was a good- Only seventh in that ground success over same Queen Anne, the Eclipse trip in a Group Three at Longchamp last month, but he however, and now tries 1m2f for only the second time in his 19-race is winless in two attempts on firmer ground and his dam certainly career. Interestingly, that attempt resulted in a Sandown win in last preferred softer ground. year’s Listed Gala Stakes.

Likely to be held up off the pace. An inconsistent horse but could be a major player if things fall his way. 2 HUNTING HORN 4 REGAL REALITY

Trainer: Aidan O’Brien Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute May well be employed In 1923, Alec Taylor to ensure a good won the last of his six gallop as he did for Eclipses as a trainer Magical in the Prince of and this weekend Sir Wales’s Stakes at Ascot Michael Stoute can – though, in effect, it break that record having could be argued he set sent out his sixth winner, up the race perfectly , in 2017. for the winner . Regal Reality is a four- year-old – the age at His last win came at Listed level in June 2018. Ten outings since have which Stoute horses tend to be at their most lethal – who posted an included trips to Gulfstream and Doha and total career earnings of impressive course-and-distance success in the more than £600,000 cannot be sniffed at. in May earlier this year. Kerrin McEvoy, a hugely experienced big-race rider, is booked and it is hard to believe this colt won’t be involved in the finish.

1 The 2019 Coral-Eclipse: Runner-by-runner guide

5 7 MAGICAL

Trainer: Trainer: Aidan O’Brien A horse who looks Having got to within a little over-priced three-quarters of a considering he is a length of Enable at Group One winner Churchill Downs in already this season - in November, Magical the Prix d’Ispahan at will have no excuses if Longchamp – and she fails to exact sweet that victory followed revenge this weekend. a smooth success in Newmarket’s Earl Of That is because this Sefton Stakes. extremely well-bred filly has won three times He is versatile in terms of underfoot conditions but may be stretched over 10-furlong trips this season, including in the Gold Cup. by the trip given that he was a disappointing seventh of eight in the Far from disgraced when beaten by Crystal Ocean at Ascot, she had Prince of Wales’s Stakes. Those two successes in April and May had every other rival well strung out behind her on that occasion and come over nine furlongs. seems set to produce a strong bid. 6 ENABLE 8 TELECASTER

Trainer: John Gosden Trainer: Hughie Morrison Given that this fabulous There was a fair mare is a notoriously bit of excitement unshowy workhorse, it surrounding this son of will probably be difficult New Approach when for and beating the rest of the John in the Dante, leaving his Gosden team to assess owners to pay the steep just where she is in supplementary fee to terms of current fitness. enter the Derby. The stable has enjoyed some fine successes so Bitter disappointment far this season but encountered some disappointments too. followed when he finished last at Epsom, but the dice have been rolled once again. Considering the Arc remains Enable’s main target, and that she looked vulnerable in her last two wins last season, it would probably not be If he can keep cool in the preliminaries, an aspect he struggled with in a disaster if she did not win this race which comes over a shorter than the Derby, he should give a good account of himself. ideal trip.

VERDICT This is not the time to take a short price about ENABLE given slight concerns about the trip and the mare’s fitness, though it would clearly be exciting for the sport to see her pass this test and notch an eighth success at the highest level.

REGAL REALITY is the one who appeals from a betting point of view and the son of Intello can extend his trainer’s terrific record in this race, even if he has a bit to find on ratings with one or two of these.

2