Fran Berry previews this weekend's high-class Sandown action featuring a star-studded edition of the Group One Coral-Eclipse.
Stars a special Eclipse winner
The Coral-Eclipse has been a brilliant race down the years and I've some vivid memories of riding in the race including when fourth on Yellowstone for Aidan O'Brien in Notnowcato's year.
That was a masterful piece of riding from Ryan Moore on the day and a really dramatic race to be part of.
Sea The Stars - a horse I rode in work during my time with John Oxx - is another that stands out for me and I can't believe it's now 10 years since his epic win over Rip Van Winkle.
They were showing it on Racing TV the other day and it all came flooding back. He was a wonderful horse and it was a brilliant clash that will be remembered for a long time.
By popular demand, and beating Hawk Wing with a whopping 83% of the vote, it is Sea The Stars in 2009! The first horse to complete the Guineas-Derby-Eclipse treble since Nashwan in 1989.
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 3, 2018
He added the
Juddmonte 🏆
Irish Champion 🏆
Arc de Triomphe 🏆#CoralEclipse #legend pic.twitter.com/7cri005FHJ
Enable hard to weigh up
Looking at this year's race Enable is the star attraction but Magical is one of the best fillies in training in her own right, while Regal Reality is still improving for Sir Michael Stoute and could yet put himself into the top bracket as he gains more experience.
His Brigadier Gerard easy win over subsequent winner Matterhorn was a big step in the right direction last time and although he still has a few pounds to find he wouldn't be the first Stoute horse to really take off as a four-year-old.
Telecaster is the only three-year-old to line up and obviously has to bounce back from his Derby flop. He's quite a highly-strung horse and got wound up before the Derby but if he behaves himself in the preliminaries then I'd just about give him another chance.
He's quite a big price based on his victory over Too Darn Hot in the Dante, the kind of form that shows him to be capable of going well in an Eclipse.
Magical wasn't disgraced by any means in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Ascot, she was beaten by one of the top colts around (Crystal Ocean) who might just have improved again this season. Initially I was a bit disappointed she was tactically undone by Crystal Ocean but the ground came in his favour on the day and maybe Magical will be best when stepped back up to a mile and a half.
She might be better value than Enable though here. Enable only had three-quarters of a length in hand over Magical at Churchill Downs at the Breeders' Cup when she had those two runs under her belt so you'd have to be slightly worried about Enable first time back against race-fit rivals.
The trip is also a slight concern for me. You've got to go back to 2017 for Enable's last run over a mile and a quarter and it's a little bit surprising she hasn't dipped her toe in at this kind of distance since then.
I'd expect a really strong gallop with Hunting Horn in the mix here but she's going to have to be somewhere close to her best given the trip and given the lack of recent rain.
Fair play to David Menuisier for declaring Danceteria who looks on a steep upward curve after his Group Three win at Longchamp last month. He's a horse I know well from riding last season and he's probably going to be a good Group Two and Group Three horse but he'll need a lot more at this level. I'd imagine Jamie Spencer will ride him quietly and he could pick up some of the prize-money from off the pace if all goes well.
To sum up Magical is the value over the favourite but I'd be inclined to side with Telecaster each-way if the Derby experience hasn't left a mark on him.
He's back over his right trip here and could run a big race if he takes all the pre-race occasion in a bit better.
Kurious worth an interest
The card starts with the Group Three Coral Charge and Sergei Prokofiev looks likely to be favourite. You get the impression he's just found it tough against the older horses the last twice which can be the case for three-year-old sprinters.
It was a tough task to go to Royal Ascot on just his second start against older horses and the ground probably went against him too. If you put a line through that he's got a lot in his favour here, including a low draw, and the older ones in here are pretty well exposed now.
Garrus is very interesting on his first run for Charlie Hills having been progressive for previous trainer Jeremy Noseda but one at a bigger price who is definitely worth a mention is Henry Candy's Kurious, who is up in class after her Listed win over course and distance but looks to be capable of raising her game again.
She's had three starts at Sandown now, winning twice and finishing a head second on the other start, and she races handily which could help here. Sergei Prokofiev will need them to go a serious gallop and he might just need a spot of luck on his way through the pack.
Kurious looks drawn well in stall six.
Life, oh life
The Coral Challenge is the big mile handicap and as competitive as ever with several well-known faces, and a few Sandown specialists in particular.
History Writer is obviously among them and he was back on the mark here last time but he's got another 6lb for that and I'd probably be looking elsewhere now.
Via Serendipity comes here on the back of a very good run at Chelmsford but if you forgive Lush Life her run on the Tapeta at Newcastle last time - and not all horses handle it - then she's got to be of interest.
It looked like they were keen to get her into the Royal Hunt Cup but it back-fired a bit and she's probably better judged on the line of form through her victory at Sandown in May. She's drawn out wide but that won't bother Spencer who is likely to drop her in and come late anyway.
Get the Message?
Encapsulation is the eye-catcher in the Coral Distaff on her first run for Andrew Balding, who won this race a few years ago with Blond Me. She went on to run in the silks of Encapsulation's new owner Barbara Keller, with the latter changing hands after her half-length second to Pink Dogwood in the Salsabil Stakes.
I was on Racing TV duty that night and was very impressed, with the form working out very well subsequently, and the only question I'd have is that dropping back to a mile on quick ground at Sandown might be a bit of a shock to the system.
She might well be quick enough to cope and in time may prove to be a smart miler but her form so far is over a bit further on yielding ground and she's been doing her best work at the finish.
Maybe Hidden Message is the one to be with at the prices. William Haggas' filly wasn't beaten too far in a Group Two at Chantilly last time and also ran well enough on her reappearance when she got a bit sweaty beforehand and a bit keen.
I think the mile around Sandown will suit her well as she'll be able to relax a bit more racing around the bend.
Falcon fascinating contender
It's great to see Falcon Eight running for Dermot Weld in the Coral Marathon and I'd be surprised if he wasn't a bit better than a Listed horse in the fullness of time.
He's a horse everyone has been waiting for since that excellent run in the Saval Beg when just behind Twilight Payment. Jim Bolger's horse has franked that form with his win in the Group Two Curragh Cup at the Curragh last Friday.
Falcon Eight missed the start at Leopardstown and was on the back foot all the way on his first run of the season but almost got up and he's definitely a horse with a lot of upside to him.
Frankie Dettori is booked and cheekpieces go on for the first time to just help him concentrate.
The entries are published for the Sky Bet Ebor next Wednesday and it'll be interesting to see if his name features on the list.
