Big Race Preview – Coral Eclipse from Sandown Park
What an absolute cracker this race is set to be. The old against the new. Will the 3 year olds come out on top or will the old cavalry have something to say about it? Hawkbill was last years winner and it was actually a horse we tipped at odds of 6/1.
Lets take you through the field and the main dangers:
CLIFFS OF MOHER is 2/1 favourite after his Derby 2nd. He didn’t quite see out the 1m 4f that day and a drop in trip looked on the cards. I think he will be better suited by the 1m 2f but at 2/1 others are better value.
BARNEY ROY was a winner of the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. He had horses such as Churchill behind that day and it was a terrific performance. For me, all along I have thought 1m 2f is his perfect trip so this step should see further improvement. I am actually quite surprised he is as big as 7/2 as he should be closer to favouritism in my opinion. Improving fast and I think this horse will turn out to be something special.
EMINENT ran a cracker in the Derby to come home 4th and this trip looks ideal. Eminent was behind Barney Roy in the 2000 Guineas and behind Cliffs Of Moher in the Derby. Eminent could improve but it’s hard to see how he turns the form around with the aforementioned two. 4/1 is a little too short for me, I would want around 6/1.
Of the rest we have ULYSSES and DECORATED KNIGHT and I am finding it hard to say anything about them. Reason is I can’t see them giving away a shed load of weight. They lack that touch of class. Both are good horses but both lacking something to challenge the above.
CONCLUSION
I would go as far as saying a Reverse Tri-Cast on CLIFFS OF MOHER, BARNEY ROY and EMINENT as I really can’t see how the other two get involved with the weight they are giving away. I feel very strongly about it for this year’s Coral Eclipse.
From a win point of view and at the prices I am very keen on BARNEY ROY. This horse is going places. The step up in trip will bring out further improvement and ultimately I think he will have too much speed for the other two. We haven’t seen the best of BARNEY ROY yet but come Saturday I am confident you will see a monster performance.
Good Luck
JPW Racing Tipster