 Expert - Bill Esdaile |
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| Bill Esdaile has worked in racing journalism in the United Kingdom for over 20 years. He began his working career at the Sporting Life back in 1995, and has since worked for the Racing Post, The Sportsman, and is currently racing editor of London-based City AM. He is a keen form student, and will bring a unique insight into the major European races. | |
Expert Column for Eclipse Stakes Day (S1) (Bill Esdaile)
S1-1 3yo 71-90 Handicap
On the fringes of London, Sandown is one of the best viewing tracks in England and stages both Flat and National Hunt racing. It is famous for its hill, so you need a horse that can cope with the punishing climb to the finish line. The action on Eclipse Stakes Day gets underway with a competitive 1,400m C3 handicap for 3YOs.
MAZYOUN is likely to go very close in this after an eye-catching run at York last time where he was poorly positioned by his jockey. He came with a strong late run, but it was all too late and he certainly looks to be ahead of his handicap mark. Trainer Hugo Palmer has struggled for form in the first part of the campaign, but his string seem to have turned the corner in recent weeks. This son of MAYSON ran really well in some hot races as a 2YO and picking up a handicap like this should be well within his reach.
Jeremy Noseda’s FIREFRIGHT looks an interesting contender with Gerald Mosse in the saddle. He had a bad barrier draw when finishing seventh in a 1,403m handicap at Epsom last month and never looked happy on the unique, undulating track. Apart from that run he has never finished outside the top three, although he has only managed to get his head in front once. He will almost certainly be in the reckoning, but might just find one too good for him.
ZEFFERINO had a troubled passage at Haydock over 1,593m last time, so it’s best to put a line through that run. Previously he had won well on Lingfield’s turf course over 1,400m and he should be there or thereabouts. Roger Charlton’s horses have been in fine form and he has booked leading French jockey Olivier Peslier which is a clear sign of intent.
There will be plenty of racegoers asking for a MOJITO at the bars and the horse by the same name takes his chance in this. He didn’t run badly over 1,600m at Doncaster last time when the ground was probably just too soft for him. William Buick is an interesting booking by trainer William Haggas and the horse remains unexposed.
Ed Vaughan decided to send PROST to Deauville in France in December to try to break his maiden tag and he managed to do exactly that. The 1,400m trip should be fine, but if the rain doesn’t arrive this will be the fastest surface he has experienced.
No trainer is in better form than Roger Varian at the moment and he relies on SULTAN BAYBARS, who is wearing first-time blinkers. He ran better than his finishing position of 21st suggests in the 1,600m Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot and the drop back to 1,400m should suit.
Richard Hannon is another trainer firing in the winners at present and he relies on ALMOREB with champion jockey Jim Crowley in the saddle. The son of RAVEN’S PASS is yet to encounter a quick surface so connections will be hoping the thunderstorms arrive, especially as he probably wants 1,600m.
SELECTIONS: 1. MAZYOUN, 4. FIREFRIGHT, 5. ZEFFERINO, 2. SULTAN BAYBARS & 6. MOJITO
S1-2 Sprint Stakes
There are a number of promising sprinters lining up for the 1,009m Sprint Stakes and this contest usually goes to the younger, progressive type. All of the last seven winners have been aged four or younger and this year’s leading fancy falls into that category too.
3YO BATTAASH overcame a lengthy absence to land a Listed contest over course and distance last month and the son of DARK ANGEL is expected to be challenging despite the step up in class here. Trained by Charles Hills, who has a good record with sprinters, BATTAASH overcame a wide barrier draw to beat some good horses last time out. This time around he has a lower barrier draw which looks a big advantage and the form of his previous race is holding up well. Of those in behind, the second, KOROPICK, came out to win a G3 contest last weekend in what looked a strong race on paper.
The 3YOs all receive a handy weight allowance and that’s also a positive for the Clive Cox-trained TIS MARVELLOUS. Unlike BATTAASH, he’s coming down in grade, having last run in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, and he looks dangerous here. The G1 Commonwealth Cup looks like it was a very hot race won by a very fast horse in Aidan O’Brien’s CARAVAGGIO. Finishing sixth to him, as well as HARRY ANGEL and BLUE POINT is no disgrace at all and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he were to land a blow back down in G3 company.
LINE OF REASON and ALPHA DELPHINI will put up a stern challenge to the younger horses. Despite being a 6YO, ALPHA DELPHINI is relatively lightly-raced and has run with much promise this season. He followed up a good third in the G2 Temple Stakes at Haydock with a solid sixth in one of the most fiercely contested sprints anywhere on the globe, the G1 King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. This race looks a step down from both of those and he’d have a big chance if running up to that form again. As for LINE OF REASON, he’s a seasoned sprinter in good form. The 7YO has shown that age is just a number, rattling off back to back wins at Musselburgh and Newcastle, and he could go well again.
2015-16 champion jockey Silvestre De Sousa is in cracking form again this season and he rides SPRING FLING. Henry Candy’s mare comes here off the back of a win in a Listed contest at Ayr but will need to improve to challenge in this company.
There are also other more proven types in the field, such as G2 winner MUTHMIR and G1 winner GOLDREAM. Though BATTAASH is the more fancied of the Hamdan Al Maktoum runners, MUTHMIR can push him all the way with champion jockey Jim Crowley in the saddle. He ran well to finish fourth in the G1 King’s Stand Stakes and has won harder races than this, including the G2 King George Stakes at Goodwood. GOLDREAM won the G1 King’s Stand Stakes two years ago and this is a step down in class for him. The problem with him is his consistency.
KYLLANG ROCK is another improving 3YO looking to take advantage of the weight allowance. He’s not finished outside of the front two in his last five starts and, although this is a big step up in grade, he could still be progressive.
SELECTIONS: 9. BATTAASH, 2. ALPHA DELPHINI, 1. MUTHMIR, 11. TIS MARVELLOUS & 3. GOLDREAM
S1-3 3yo+ Handicap
Another competitive renewal of this 1,600m handicap where a low barrier draw is important on this right-handed turning track. Those housed in the lowest numbered stalls have the advantage of being able to break smartly and bag an early prominent position on the rails before the field turns right-handed into the straight. The previous six winners have broken from barrier four or lower with only two winners in the last 11 years breaking from a double-figure stall. Last year, the horses drawn in the first four barriers filled four of the first five places, suggesting those with a prominent running style with a low draw are at a distinct advantage.
GREENSIDE was gelded in April 2016 and that really appeared to help him, as he went on to record a decent win over 1,600m on his only start post-operation at Newmarket last October. The 6YO has run well on both runs to date this season, which incidentally have been over this 1,600m course here at Sandown. He was beaten by LAIDBACK ROMEO in May when given plenty to do, but made up for that defeat by gaining revenge over that rival back here last month. The handicapper did give him a slight helping hand that day and things will be tougher on Saturday from his higher mark. However, he won with plenty in hand last time and has the perfect draw in barrier two.
Unlike GREENSIDE, who comes here relatively fresh, a number of these line-up having run in the 1,600m Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot. BLAIR HOUSE, GEORGE WILLIAM, GM HOPKINS, HORS DE COMBAT and MASTER THE WORLD all make relatively quick reappearances having had mixed success at Ascot.
BLAIR HOUSE ran an extraordinary race to finish second on his first start since October last year. He had been gelded since we last saw him in action, but it was still an astonishing performance after such an absence. A reproduction of that level of form would make him very hard to beat, but whether he can back it up so quickly remains to be seen as he had a hard race. He is also drawn out wide in barrier 16 which is a big negative.
GEORGE WILLIAM ran no sort of race when fancied to run well in the Royal Hunt Cup. The 4YO is better than he showed that day when he finished eight lengths back in 22nd place. He was done no favours by the barrier draw that day, though, and is better judged on his good second behind FASTNET TEMPEST at Ascot over 1,400m in May, while barrier six is almost perfect.
GM HOPKINS showed his first signs of life since winning over 1,600m at Ascot back in April 2016 when finishing well back in seventh. He has now been given a chance by the handicapper and can go well again from stall seven.
The same can be said of MASTER THE WORLD who is another at home in these fast conditions. David Elsworth’s runner was having his first start of the campaign at Ascot having wintered in Dubai. That was a decent showing and he looks one to keep onside too with a claiming jockey taking some weight out of the saddle.
HORS DE COMBAT is a talented yet frustrating horse, but he has the services of Olivier Peslier who will be trying to work his magic.
Lightly-weighted NAVAL WARFARE who will be trying to become only the second 3YO to win this in the past decade. He won well on his reappearance at Leicester in May, but this is a big step up in class and he has a terrible barrier draw in 17.
SELECTIONS: 8. GEORGE WILLIAM, 7. GREENSIDE, 1. GM HOPKINS, 2. MASTER THE WORLD & 5. BLAIR HOUSE
DOUBLE TRIO SELECTIONS (36 unit bets):
S1-3: Banker – 8. GEORGE WILLIAM
Selections – 7. GREENSIDE, 1. GM HOPKINS, 2. MASTER THE WORLD & 5. BLAIR HOUSE
S1-4: Banker – 4. QUEEN OF TIME
Selections – 2. PACO’S ANGEL, 3. PAVILLON, 8. TISBUTADREAM & 6. STANDING ROCK
S1-4 Distaff Stakes
There have been a number of quite surprising results in the fillies’ Listed 1,600m Distaff Stakes in recent years, with only two winning favourites in the past decade. Royal Ascot’s Sandringham Handicap could be the key form line this year. QUEEN OF TIME ran an excellent race to be fourth, especially as she struggled to find a gap and then the action unfolded away from her on the stands rail. She has been progressive this season, has no problems with the 1,600m distance and James Doyle takes over in the saddle, which has to be a positive. Henry Candy’s team are in good form and you get the feeling that the trainer expects this filly to improve as the season goes on.
Wherever QUEEN OF TIME finishes you’d expect PACO’S ANGEL to be nearby. Richard Hughes’ daughter of one of his favourite horses, PACO BOY, was a brilliant third in the Sandringham Handicap on just her second start of the season. She was just over a length behind RAIN GODDESS, who was second in the G1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday, so the form has been seriously franked since the race. She is better off at the weights with QUEEN OF TIME, although she might just prefer 1,400m, particularly as Sandown has such a stiff uphill finish and is a serious test of stamina.
TISBUTADREAM was another one to run in the Sandringham Handicap, finishing ninth, and her effort can be marked up seeing as she was drawn low which wasn’t the place to be at the start of the week. With nine runs since the end of November, fitness most definitely won’t be an issue, but you’d have to say that a few of the other fillies seem to have greater scope for improvement.
Clive Cox had a fantastic Royal Ascot with HEARTACHE winning the G2 Queen Mary Stakes and HARRY ANGEL running so well in the G1 Commonwealth Cup. He saddles PAVILLON in this with Gerald Mosse taking the ride. This will be the daughter of SHOWCASING’s fourth career start and her first on turf. She clearly has plenty to find with the principles but it’s interesting that Cox is pitching her into this company and that he’s booked Mosse.
John Gosden won this race three years ago with BELLE D’OR and he fires two bullets this time. Even though DANCING BREEZE ran respectably in the Sandringham Handicap, she shaped as though she would appreciate the step up to 2,000m. She was well beaten at this course last month and looks to have plenty to do to reverse the form with QUEEN OF TIME and PACO’S ANGEL.
The other Gosden contender is STANDING ROCK who won on debut at Newbury last month. We don’t know how strong that maiden was, but she got the job done well and has the services of Ryan Moore in this Listed contest. Although she has to find serious improvement, she is very unexposed and might be able to sneak into the money.
SELECTIONS: 4. QUEEN OF TIME, 2. PACO’S ANGEL, 3. PAVILLON, 8. TISBUTADREAM & 6. STANDING ROCK
TREBLE SELECTIONS (27 unit bets):
S1-4: Multiple – 4. QUEEN OF TIME, 2. PACO’S ANGEL & 3. PAVILLON
S1-5: Multiple – 6. CLIFFS OF MOHER, 5. BARNEY ROY & 4. ULYSSES
S1-6: Multiple – 6. ORIENTAL FOX, 5. NEARLY CAUGHT & 4. MONTALY
Aidan O’Brien is no stranger to the G1 Eclipse Stakes run over 1,990m, having won it an impressive five times and his entry CLIFFS OF MOHER is expected to go off favourite on Saturday as he bids to make it six. The 3YO, who receives a handy weight allowance from the older horses, finished a close second in the G1 Derby Stakes over 2,405m behind stablemate WINGS OF EAGLES. He surged past race-favourite CRACKSMAN to hit the front in the final 200m, before being headed and there’s every reason to believe the step back to 1,990m will help his cause. The GALILEO colt had previously won at Chester over 2,064m at Listed level on good to firm and with conditions to suit he should take all the beating with O’Brien’s string in decent form.
The Martyn Meade-trained EMINENT holds a strong chance at Sandown if he can get back to his very best form. This son of FRANKEL was one of the main protagonists in the market for May’s G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, but connections could not find a reason for his disappointing sixth placed finish. It was a similar scenario at Epsom last month when confidence bellowed from the Meade yard and its owners, only for the 3YO to come up short again when coming home fourth. However, he wasn’t beaten all that far and that form is proving to be stronger than initially thought, with the first three home in the G1 Irish Derby all running at Epsom. He kicked off the season with a brilliant performance in the G3 Craven Stakes at Newmarket when getting the better of G1 winner RIVET and if he can return to that he’ll be in with a big shout.
BARNEY ROY has the potential to be a top-class stallion for Godolphin, having won three of his four career starts, including most recently at the highest level in the G1 St. James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. James Doyle retains the ride, but the 3YO was made to work to get his head in front last time out and there’s a fear this could come just too soon having raced keenly throughout.
DECORATED KNIGHT ran a stormer when finishing second behind HIGHLAND REEL in the G1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot just a fortnight ago and could run into a place. O’Brien’s HIGHLAND REEL had previously won the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom, so that represents strong form for a Roger Charlton yard that has been among the winners of late. As well as running well in defeat, DECORATED KNIGHT also claimed victory at Meydan in March when landing the G1 Jebel Hatta run over 1,800m at the expense of FOLKSWOOD. He disappointed next time out over course and distance but made a winning return to Britain and Ireland when getting the better of SOMEHOW in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at Curragh. The 5YO son of GALILEO clearly has bags of talent. However, the weight allowance given to the younger colts may be enough to deny him victory this time around.
Sir Michael Stoute’s ULYSSES finished behind DECORATED KNIGHT last time out and should run well with champion jockey Jim Crowley in the saddle. He was a Derby fancy for many last season before finishing a well beaten twelfth, but the 4YO clearly likes the track having won a Sandown G3 over 2,006m on his seasonal reappearance.
LIGHTNING SPEAR bombed out in the G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot having previously impressed behind the super talented RIBCHESTER in the G1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury and will need to be at his very best to trouble the main protagonists here.
SELECTIONS: 6. CLIFFS OF MOHER, 5. BARNEY ROY, 4. ULYSSES, 7. EMINENT & 1. DECORATED KNIGHT
S1-6 Esher Stakes
Once again, a couple of these were in action at Royal Ascot with the first and fifth home in the marathon 4,330m Queen Alexandra Stakes all back in action in this 3,245m prize.
ORIENTAL FOX was landing the prestigious contest for a second time having won it back in 2015 and seems as good as ever at the grand old age of nine. He is versatile when it comes to distance these days as, prior to Ascot, he had been competitive on both his two previous starts over 2,800m. This 3,245m contest should be his perfect trip but strangely he has yet to win any of his 11 career starts over the distance to date. He looks sure to be ridden positively again and is once again hard to discount when in such decent form.
FUN MAC failed to really land a blow at Ascot, plodding on to finish a remote fifth. He has become a little frustrating, but couldn’t be ignored if returning to the form that saw him beaten only a length by MONTALY in the 3,727m Chester Cup. FUN MAC is better off with MONTALY at the weights here, but having missed Ascot you’d have to think the Andrew Balding-trained runner will come out on top again.
FUN MAC’s trainer Hughie Morrison also saddles NEARLY CAUGHT who finished ninth behind BIG ORANGE in the G1 3,991m Gold Cup. Connections were aiming too high that day and he is likely to be competitive returned to this grade. He was second on his travels in a G2 over this 3,200m trip in Germany on his previous start, but needs to return to the form he was in 12 months ago when finishing third in this race.
A bigger danger to all could well be HIGH JINX who returned from a monster two-year absence to be beaten only half a length when third behind DARTMOUTH in the G2 2,771m Yorkshire Cup. The lightly-raced 9YO would beat this lot in his sleep if returning to the form of three years ago that saw him win at G1 level. However, that was some time ago and there has to be a worry that he won’t be able to back up that excellent comeback effort.
Ralph Beckett’s ALYSSA won four of her five appearances in 2016, including one in a Listed contest at Ascot, with the likes of FIREGLOW and PLATITUDE in behind. But she never travelled and was pushed along soon into her seasonal reappearance in the Listed Grand Cup, finishing stone last.
Two of the previous three renewals of this race have been won by horses aged four, but that’s the only statistic that gives GOLDMEMBER any chance. He too finished well down the field in the aforementioned Listed Grand Cup on his seasonal reappearance and has only finished in the places once from eight career starts. That did result in a very impressive win, but it was in a weak maiden at Thirsk back in May 2016 and the closest he has come to following that up is a fourth at Newmarket last autumn. He was just over a length behind FUN MAC that day, but the former has progressed much the better and the distance between them is likely to be further this time around.
SELECTIONS: 6. ORIENTAL FOX, 5. NEARLY CAUGHT, 4. MONTALY & 1. FUN MAC
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