Coral-Eclipse: Race Preview & Odds
3 minutes A total of eight entries are confirmed for the day’s feature race and here at betting.bet we’ll assess the chances of some of the major players
We have Group 1 horse racing to look forward to on Saturday as Sandown Racecourse hosts the latest renewal of the Coral-Eclipse. A total of eight entries are confirmed for the day’s feature race and here at betting.bet we’ll assess the chances of some of the major players, providing odds from race sponsors Coral.
Eclipse Stakes: Race Background
The Eclipse Stakes was established back in 1886 and having been sponsored by Coral since 1976, the race represents one of the longest standing sponsorship agreements in UK sports. Contested over 1m2f by horses aged three years and above, the Coral-Eclipse has been won by some of the biggest names in flat racing including former Classic winners such as Brigadier Gerrard, Dancing Brave, Sea The Stars and Enable.
Paddington won the Eclipse twelve months ago for trainer Aidan O’Brien, giving O’Brien a record seventh win City Of Troy and outsider Hans Andersen.
Derby Hero Tipped For Eclipse Glory
Derby winner City Of Troy is the red-hot favourite to win this year’s Coral-Eclipse and the Aidan O’Brien-trained star is currently priced at just 4/11 to follow in the footsteps of Nashwan (1989), Sea The Stars (2009) and Golden Horn (2015) in claiming a Derby / Eclipse double.
City Of Troy enjoyed a superb juvenile season winning three from three, most notably when landing the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in October. City Of Troy flopped on his season reappearance in the 2000 Guineas but cruising to victory in the Betfred Derby last month. We’re not likely to see City Of Troy running over 1m again but he’ll take some stopping over Saturday’s 10f trip.
Major Players
Dancing Gemini couldn't quite see out the 1m4f trip in the Betfred Derby and eventually finished down in sixth. However this Camelot colt was running on strongly when second in the Group 1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains a race earlier. On this year’s form, 1m2f could be the optimum distance and he’s a major player on Saturday.
Ghostwriter has to be respected after finishing 12 lengths clear of City Of Troy when taking fourth in the 2000 Guineas. Followed up with another solid fourth in the Group 1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly last month. Like City Of Troy, Ghostwriter won three from three as a two-year-old, completing his juvenile season by landing the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes.
Jayarbe has shaped well in 2024, building on an encouraging juvenile season by winning two of his three races so far this year. His most recent run saw him land the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot over Saturday’s 1m2f trip. In-form jockey Sean Jockey is one board once more.
An Outside Chance
Stay Alert is the only five-year-old in the race and she has been tipped to bounce back from a poor run at the Curragh last week. Stay Alert was well-supported for the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes last weekend but did not handle the ground. Won the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket in May and the runner up that day went on to land the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot. Probably not good enough to win this but could run well at a big price.
Coral-Eclipse Stakes Odds
| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| City Of Troy | 4/11 |
| Dancing Gemini | 13/2 |
| Ghostwriter | 7/1 |
| Jayarbe | 14/1 |
| Al Riffa | 16/1 |
| Stay Alert, See The Fire | 40/1 |
| Hans Andersen | 66/1 |
