Saturday’s ITV Racing broadcast features one of the standout Group 1s of the season. The Coral Eclipse takes place at Sandown and is one of seven races live on the channel from the Surrey track and Haydock.
Equilateral (1.50 Sandown)
Sandown’s 5f is one of the quickest in the game and the Group 3 Coral Charge has drawn an attractive field to open the card.
Raasel and Mitbaahy may be progressive, but overlooked at the current prices is EQUILATERAL who is easily the class angle. Charlie Hills’ star has regularly run well in Group 1 events and was successful in Group 2 company in Dubai in February 2021.
His return this year, after 444 days off, came in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot. Though no match for Australian superstar Nature Strip, he ran a terrific race to be fifth, being beaten only a length by the leader of the home team Twilight Calls.
He is usually able to back up his first run when fresh and this is a much easier contest. That he is not closer to being favourite is surprising.
The Gadget Man (2.05 Haydock)
Sea King boasts obvious credentials for Sir Mark Prescott, who so excels with emerging staying handicappers.
That said, this is a much stronger race than the one he won last time and a 9lb rise means he carries top-weight. There could easily be a winner from left-field lurking in the line-up. In the attempt to find one, it could well be that THE GADGET MAN is worth siding with.
Jack Hobbs has gone to the breeding sheds mainly as a National Hunt sire, but that could serve The Gadget Man well in this contest. He is already the highest-rated of any of his sire’s progeny on the flat and should be very well-suited by this step up to 1m6f.
He ran very well on soft ground over 1m at two. Similarly, he bumped into the useful West Wind Blows at Nottingham on return, but a greater test of stamina can see him come to the fore.
Checkandchallenge (2.25 Sandown)
The only three-year-old in the field, CHECKANDCHALLENGE effectively gets 9lb from his rivals in this 1m handicap.
He had previously been considered a lively each-way chance for the 2000 Guineas after winning his first two starts. The second of those was a Listed race on the all-weather, which he won cosily by 1½ lengths.
Though he was down the field in the Guineas itself, his draw was far from ideal. Only Native Trail did well of those drawn notably high, as he was in stall 13.
On a separate note, the third from his Listed Newcastle success, Imperial Fighter, was then third in the Irish 2000 Guineas, so there is distinct substance to his earlier form. As a horse who has proven himself in Pattern races, he should be up to challenging here.
Free Wind (2.40 Haydock)
It’s not easy to split the top two in the market here. Both FREE WIND and Eshaada have leading claims on their best efforts, but the former may have slightly more scope.
Eshaada was also disappointing on her return, so while she is a Group 1 winner, she can be taken on. Free Wind won very easily first time out last season and progressed throughout, saving her best until most recently.
She was defeated in Listed company at Newmarket over this trip, but swiftly made amends at Group 3 level at Deauville. Last time out, she ran in the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster over 1m6½f and romped home by seven lengths.
The drop back in trip should be no issue whatsoever and she could be an exciting filly to follow for the season ahead. A positive word also goes to Kawida, who was fifth in the Oaks, staying on strongly at the finish, and may also have a say.
Grande Dame (3.00 Sandown)
Heredia has won all four starts for Richard Hannon and decisively claimed victory at Royal Ascot in the Sandringham Stakes last time out.
She could easily progress once again, but her chief rival, Grande Dame, has a very eyecatching jockey booking. Trained by John & Thady Gosden during their “sabbatical” with Frankie Dettori, it is Ryan Moore who has been booked to ride the daughter of Lope De Vega.
Grande Dame won a strong conditions race on debut at Ascot on debut and possibly paid a tiny bit for inexperience next time out at York, when outstayed in a 1m Listed race. With Inspiral a clear number one for the yard in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, this filly was well down the field under Jamie Spencer.
However, she is worth keeping on side at this level and may be in with every chance of coming back to form here.
Get Shirty (3.15 Sandown)
For all that Gaassee may have a lot more in the locker, the form of his win at the start of this season has taken a few knocks.
The runner-up was well-beaten on his next start, while the third could only finish eighth at Royal Ascot. Similarly, while it was a decisive success he secured at York, it was not massively emphatic.
GET SHIRTY was a much less expected winner at the royal meeting, winning the Copper Horse Stakes at 16/1, but he was no less clear a winner by the line. Given the runner-up was Chester Cup winner Cleveland, that looks a very strong piece of form.
He is up another 6lb and there may be a question about whether this comes too soon after Ascot, but he has been in marvellous form in 2022.
Native Trail (3.35 Sandown)
Though five of the initial 11 confirmations have not stood their ground, this still looks a terrific renewal of the Eclipse.
Prix Du Jockey Club winner Vadeni is one of those who remains and he did look out of the ordinary at Chantilly, but there would be a slight question about good ground. Meanwhile, Group 3 Brigadier Gerard scorer over course and distance Bay Bridge could easily bounce back from his reverse in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
All of Mishriff, Alenquer and Lord North are Group 1 winner, but preference of the six is for NATIVE TRAIL. Last year’s champion juvenile was turned over in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket by stablemate Coroebus, but he was on the wrong side of the draw and swiftly laid that defeat to rest by winning the Irish equivalent at the Curragh.
While that effort was not as visually impressive as many may have expected, he was still authoritative at the finish. Similarly, though he is by the speedy Oasis Dream, his big, rangy stride could easily be put to better use over 1m2f.
Moreover, he hacked up on debut at this venue, so could easily be seen to best effect with these conditions.