David Ord has a horse-by-horse guide to Saturday's Coral-Eclipse and thinks Telecaster is a sporting each-way bet in a fascinating contest.
3.35 Sandown - Coral-Eclipse
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DANCETERIA: Two successful raids in France this year sandwich a Brigadier Gerard Stakes third to Regal Reality over this course and distance. Has six-and-a-half lengths of improvement to find with the winner there, before we even start with Enable.
HUNTING HORN: Royal Ascot winner at three but employed as a pacemaker of late including for Magical in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes last time. Sovereign offers hope to all who take on the role but this would be a surprise to surpass even last week’s if he was to hold on.
MUSTASHRY: Looked set for a good campaign when running out an authoritative winner of the Lockinge in May but never looked like following up in the Queen Anne. One from one at this trip having outclassed his rivals in the Listed Gala Stakes over course and distance on this card a year ago. Worth another chance to confirm the impression he made at Newbury, but this is tougher.
REGAL REALITY: All roads led here after his win in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes, his first attempt at ten furlongs. There could be more to come, for all he was a real handful before the start last time, but he needs to take another bound forward to threaten the favourite. Slight surprise that he’s second favourite in some lists.
ZABEEL PRINCE: Won the Earl of Sefton and Prix d’Ispahan on his first two starts this term but floundered in the testing ground of Ascot in the Prince Of Wales’s. He was beaten before the trip became an issue, for all he’s unproven at ten furlongs, but he has questions to answer now the momentum has stopped.
ENABLE: Brilliant filly who brings a nine-race winning streak to the table and a whole lot more. A dual Arc de Triomphe heroine, she is racing at ten furlongs for the first time since her 2017 reappearance behind Shutter Speed and Raheen House. Deemed to be not quite ready for Royal Ascot, recent reports of her well-being have been increasingly positive and she sets a standard none of these can reach if anywhere near her best.
MAGICAL: Gave Enable an almighty scare in the Breeders’ Cup Turf last season and arrives here race fit and in peak form having landed the Tattersalls Gold Cup before chasing home Crystal Ocean in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes. Conceded first run to the winner there and will expose any chinks in the favourite’s armour if she’s the choice of the Ballymore-Coolmore axis for this.
TELECASTER: Impressive when fending off Too Darn Hot to win the Dante at York and forgiven subsequent flop in the Investec Derby given he had to be used early from his draw and was too keen to do himself justice. This looks a good starting point back and an opportunity to confirm the rich potential he'd shown before the stalls opened at Epsom. Trip and going also look ideal.
Verdict
Enable should make a winning reappearance if anywhere near her best but there are dangers if she’s not. Magical is the most solid alternative representing Ballydoyle but, with big prices available, TELECASTER makes the most each-away appeal.
He looked a three-year-old going places when slamming a field containing the likes of Too Darn Hot, Japan and Turgenev in the Dante and, getting the weight-for-age allowance here, is a form player if back on song following a disappointing Derby.