Coral Eclipse A-Z guide and quotes including Richard Hannon on Barney Roy

Horse-by-horse guide

Decorated Knight: Bettter than ever this year and landed Group One prizes in Dubai and Ireland before chasing home Highland Reel in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot. Provides a really stern test for the three-year-olds but the suspicion is one of them may just have the legs of him.

Desert Encounter: Won a Listed race at Ascot in May but second in a similar contest at Goodwood next time. It’s impossible to make a case for this one on the formbook for all that David Simcock’s team are in cracking form at present.

Lightning Spear: Travelled strongly for much of the contest when second to Ribchester in the Lockinge on his reappearance but never a factor behind the same rival in the Queen Anne last time. Has questions to answer after that display – and on the stamina front too.

Ulysses: Third in the Prince Of Wales’s at Royal Ascot having looked a likely winner at one stage. Was the last off the bridle in that race and clearly has bundles of ability, but he is vulnerable to a rival with a turn of foot in this company.

Barney Roy: Only beaten once in four starts and that was when caught out by inexperience and the undulations of the track in the 2000 Guineas. He bounced back to run out a ready winner of the St James’s Palace Stakes and looks the one to beat here, especially as there’s more to come with experience and this step up in trip.

Cliffs Of Moher: Looked all over the winner of the Investec Derby until being run out of it close home by stablemate Wings Of Eagles. The suspicion remains it wasn’t the strontest renewal of the Epsom Classic but he is lightly raced, open to improvement and in very good hands. Clearly a player.

Eminent: Won Newmarket maiden in good style on sole start at two and looked to have world at his feet when powering home to win Craven in a record time on his seasonal return. Disappointing sixth in the 2000 Guineas and while his Derby fourth since was a positive step, he will need to pull out a bit more to prove himself a true Group One performer.

Salouen: Plenty of experience under his belt but only two victories from 12 starts in total. Yet to race over 10 furlongs which opens up the possibility of some improvement and he has suffered trouble in running on his last two starts, but even a clear run may not be enough to see him recapture the winning thread in this company.

Taj Mahal: Interestingly he's not too far behind the pick of these rivals on official ratings but seems clear he's in here to help set the fractions for stablemate Cliffs Of Moher. Sandown does tend to suit front runners and if he doesn't go too hard then he could hold onto a place at long odds but chances are he'll be brushed aside when it matters most by those with a touch more natural speed.

CONCLUSION: There's a chance Barney Roy could be coming here with an unbeaten record had tactics not played such a significant role in the Guineas and he has 3lb in hand over Derby runner-up Cliffs Of Moher on official figures. With more to come as he steps up to 10 furlongs for the first time, Richard Hannon's charge looks the one to be on, especially at the prices. Decorated Knight looks the pick of the older brigade and is clearly thriving; he could be the one to give the selection most to think about.

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What connections say

Richard Hannon on Barney Roy: "He's been in great form since Ascot. He came out of the race very well and very fresh. He did a piece of work on Tuesday and Sean (Levey) said he felt as good as he's ever felt. He's relaxed and we're very pleased with him.

"A mile and a quarter looks to be well within his compass, but you don't know that until you've been there. You're also taking on older horses and the mile and a quarter round Sandown is not an easy mile and a quarter. He's going to have to get it well. He has always run to the line in his races which makes you think he would get the trip, and he gets a 10lb pull off the older horses.

"He's already a special horse to us. It's a very difficult task, but we've been very pleased with him, we think he's a very good horse and hopefully he'll show that on Saturday."

Aidan O'Brien on Cliffs Of Moher: "We've been very happy with him since Epsom," said the Ballydoyle handler. It was a mile and a quarter when he won at Chester (Dee Stakes) and then we went to the mile and a half at Epsom.

"Maybe the last 50 yards caught him between fitness and maybe getting the trip. We're looking forward to seeing him run over a mile and a quarter."

Martyn Meade on Eminent: "Certainly I think Sandown will suit him very well. He's only run at Newmarket and Epsom and I think Sandown and a stiff mile and a quarter will help him.

"We think this is the right race for our horse. You can analyse it until you are blue in the face about the form and the going. It's a test, but we had to do what we have done with him.

"We had to run in the Guineas, even though it didn't prove a great success, and we really had to run in the Derby where we were a bit unlucky. It sounds a terrible sob story, but this has to be the time for him. He has had that experience now.

"I was very happy with how he came out of Epsom. The Derby can be very hard on horses and can sometimes set them back, but he's raring to go.

"How far were we off Cliffs Of Moher at Epsom on the basis that we were squeezed out by him? What were we, a length off him? We can change that. They were up there all the time and they had the run of the race. We were in the pack all the way round and we were squeezed twice on the run-in.

"I think Barney Roy is a smashing horse. The way he won at Ascot was fantastic. It is pretty quick after that, but Richard Hannon knows what he is doing and he wouldn't be running him if he wasn't in top form. That's our big danger. In his demeanour Eminent is a happy horse and if all goes according to plan, he should sparkle."

Roger Charlton on Decorated Knight: "Every time Decorated Knight has run, he has produced a better performance. It was no disgrace to be beaten by Highland Reel (at Ascot).

"He's a tough, sound, genuine racehorse suited by fast ground and a mile and a quarter. We've no need to look beyond that distance for him. He has come out of his run at Royal Ascot in very good shape, especially considering how hot it was. He got very sweaty that day, but that's just him and it does not affect his performance."

David Simcock on Lightning Spear: "Lightning Spear seems in good order, we are just trying something different. I think he was very disappointing at Ascot, but we've got our own reasons.

"We've been planning to try a mile and a quarter at some point and this seems as good as a time as any. Desert Encounter is a progressive horse and is going the right way. Whether the step back to a mile and a quarter is exactly what he wants, I don't know. He is in good shape and he will defy his odds."

Coral-Eclipse stats (last 10 years)

- Winners have been aged three (3), four (2) and five (5).

- Winners have been priced between 4/9 and 14/1 with five favourites obliging.

- Eight winners had been successful in a Group One, one exception had finished second and the other was unraced above Group Three level.

- Nine winners had won at least a third of their career starts.  (Mount Nelson hadn't)

- Nine winners had had either two or three starts during the current season. The exception scored on his reappearance.

- Seven winners had previously won over 10 furlongs; two exceptions had won over 12 furlongs.

- Two winners had run in the Epsom Derby and both were successful.

- Seven winners finished in the first three on their preceding start with four successful.

- Seven winners had their preceding race at Royal Ascot; five in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes (4, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4) and one in the Queen Anne (5) and Tercentenary Stakes (1). Sea The Stars and Golden Horn ran in the Epsom Derby while Nathaniel had run in the Champion Stakes.

Click here for Ian Ogg's full stats guide

More Coral-Eclipse previews and tips

Simon Holt's best bets: The popular commentator is putting his faith in Aidan O'Brien

Oli Bell's TV tips: Oli previews the races to be shown on ITV Racing and has a big-priced fancy in the feature

Catching Pigeons column: Our gallops watcher is backing Eminent to pick up his first Group One at Sandown