Coral Eclipse Sandown Park Saturday 5th July 2014 (plus Haydock Park)

Hello & welcome to my blog ahead of one the premier flat races of the UK Flat racing calendar The Coral Eclipse at Sandown Park, a race that personally has a special place in mine & my family's heart as for 22 years we shared our lives with the brilliant (& I do not use the term lightly for he was truly brilliant) Dual Eclipse winner Mtoto who retired to Aston Upthorpe Stud in the autumn of 1988 where my Dad was (& still is Stallion man). The Stud was owned back then by Sheikh Ahmed so any horse that ran in the yellow & black was supported but everyone knew Mtoto had the potential to be special even as a 3yo (perhaps few people know he ran 4th in The 1986 QEII to Sure Blade). As a 4yo he finally blossomed into the horse everyone hoped he would be & even as 5yo boy who knew little about racing in the purists terms I knew what I liked & it was Mtoto's swashbuckling style of waiting out the back before unleashing an electric turn of foot so that all you saw was a yellow blur down the outside to swallow up his rivals just like he did in his first Eclipse win in 1987 where he defeated the superb all the way Epsom Derby winner Reference Point with a display or shear power & acceleration....Mtoto had truly arrived, the rest of the 1987 season was ruined by rain & after his traditional break he returned to fresh to finish 4th in the Arc. 

The bold & at that time rare decision to keep him training at 5 was taken, as history shows us was greatly rewarded with a 2nd win in The Prince Of Wales's at The Royal Meeting before a return to his favoured Sandown for an attempt to win a 2nd Coral Eclipse, for me even at the age of 6 years old it was & still is the race of Mtoto's career, sent off a strong 6/4f, the pace was hard with outsider Gallitzin setting a furious gallop until the mile marker when 33/1 outsider Shady Heights (who would go on to win The International at York on his next start) took up the running under Tony Ives quickening the pace further as he went into the lead, Mtoto was in his usual spot last with Mouse Robert's bobbing cap, all looked well as he was eased out & appeared on Shady Heights tail at the furlong marker but Shady was not for stopping as he found more to take the lead back, Mo was in a real scrap but the horse & jockey recovered their composure with Mouse going back to hands'n heels as he pushed his willing partners head back in front on the line for a famous victory....even at the age of 6 I could feel the atmosphere in our house was just incredible (it brings tears to the eyes just writing about it now). 

Mtoto went on to confirm himself a true champion with a win in The King George at Ascot on rain softened ground over a trip so many doubted he would last. He bowed out in a blaze of glory when only just failing to win The Arc after a rough passage in a 24 runner field (incredible to think in this day & age of a 24 runner Arc field), at the vital moment he was held in by Village Star (Sire of Kauto Star). 
He spent the next 22 years as the apple of mine & my father's eyes in happiness at our home. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity of seeing this great horse whenever I wanted over those years & watching him use his turn of foot as he ran across his paddock in high summer brought all the memories back to those 2 days in July 1987 & 1988 when I feel he was at his best with back to back victories in The Coral Eclipse. 

Should also mention I am making my televisual debut (for my sins) on BetRacingNation tomorrow morning between 10am - 12pm, hope all my readers can tune into Sky212....go easy on me.


The 2014 renewal of this fabulous race looks right up to scratch with for a change hopefully 3 top 3yo's taking their chance. Favourite since her Royal Ascot demolition job is the fabulous mare The Fugue (who has some mighty Mtoto blood in her pedigree as her grand dam is Sumoto; (who was Mtoto's first ever winner way back in 1992 at Ascot where she beat Sayyedati)). Her last performance was easily the best in a long career, fast ground is essential to this ballerina of a mare & she needs real respect although on a word of caution fillies have a awful record with only 2 winning in the last 50 years the mighty Pebbles in 1985 & Kooyonga in 1992. 

Verrazano ran a decent race in The Queen Anne although I had expected him to win, fast ground again looks essential to him & I wonder if he needs to be sent to the lead like he was in his best runs in the US where he burnt rivals away with strong fractions. This will be his 3rd start in the UK & one would hope he is reaching his peak with his stable in great form, the negative is any heavy rain which is expected from the early hours on Saturday am so I will leave off backing him until the day. 

Night Of Thunder brings some great form into the race, the shock Guineas winner (which has worked out so well) was easily brushed aside by the incredibly fast Kingman at Royal Ascot last time. On breeding the step up is what Night Of Thunder needs & he should improve for it but can he improve enough to beat his elders, my other concern is that the Hannon stable are still predominantly known for sprinters & milers, even when horses are expected to improve for the step up they rarely do examples recently include Sky Lantern, Toronado (who was fav for the Derby as a 2yo), Dubawi Gold, Crius, Free Agent & Moriarty. 

If you look back through the records the last Group race that the stable won that was in excess of 9f was the Geoffrey Freer Group 2 in 2011 with Census, the others in the last few years can be counted on the hand of a one armed man; Select Stakes Group 3 in 2010 with Red Badge, Grand Prix De Chantilly over 1m4f & Winter Derby Group 3 with Scintillo in 2009, previous to that it was The Gallinule Stakes over 10f in 2003 with Nysaean & Churlish Charm won a Yorkshire Cup in 1999. 
Back in the early 90's & 80's they did have a few more staying animals & hurdlers but certainly in the last 20 years the focus has turned towards speed animals so even though Night Of Thunder should be fine at the trip you have to wonder with his stables history if he will actually stay. 

Kingston Hill the Derby 2nd is ground dependent, his trainer has already stated that he will be left in at the 48hr stage but will only run if significant rain falls even if it does I genuinely do not think he is as good as others do, his Group 1 win was flawed, he ran abysmally in The Guineas & received a ride of pure genius to finish 2nd in The Derby but just because he is 2nd best to Pegasus (Australia) does not mean he can win an Eclipse, he still needs to turn Newmarket form around with Night Of Thunder. 

True Story is another ground dependent horse who potentially could end up making Kieran Fallon look stupid if he doesn't start to perform to the level the former Champion thinks he can, he had excuses in the Dante with a bump, rain softened ground & he wasn't right, the Derby less so he just didn't really travel with any fluency again (put down to the course) & by the time they turned in he had done too much. 
Of course after just 5 starts he is still entitled to have improvement left in him but he has had 2 tough assignments already in a short space of time & he faces a 3rd on Saturday taking on his elders for the first time, any significant rain would be a huge negative. 

Mukahdram has been overlooked in the betting not for the first time in his career, forget his run at Ascot last time the team got the tactics wrong, Elkaayed went off to fast & Paul Hanagan was unable to manoeuvre Mukhadram into 2nd spot where I feel they wanted him to be, he pulled to hard & never travelled but still managed to stick on for 4th. 
He will be closer if not leading on Saturday & will take some catching if things go his way, if it does rain the worst the ground will get to is good to soft & he is versatile as regards that having won a Brigadier Gerard on that ground last year, at 14/1 he represents great each way value. 

Last year's Irish Derby Trading Leather winner also owned by Godolphin has been left in at the 48hr stage which is intriguing as he has been hugely overpriced all week at around the 25/1 mark arguably in my view he was the best 3yo around last season after winning the Irish Derby he finished 2nd in a King George, 2nd in a Juddmonte & 3rd in an Irish Champion, his last run was a farce as he was held up which he hates & duly needed the run back after pulling too hard. I don't see him taking on Mukhadram on but I do see him sitting in 2nd or 3rd, any easing of the ground will be a slight concern as he is another best on a fast surface but all being said if he is anywhere near his best then his price is insulting compared to others. 

Somewhat is due to run as True Story's pace maker & I assume to hassle Mukhadram plus owner mate Trading Leather, on the form he has shown this year he will not be good enough to lead Mukadram for long before he drops away. 

Tullius has shown great improvement this year but he will be truly found in this company over a trip far from certain to suit. 

War Command is another 3yo taking his chance, he ran a bit better last time at Royal Ascot behind Night Of Thunder but still needs so much more in this. On pedigree he should stay as his dam won the EP Taylor Stakes back in 1996 for James Fanshawe & he is bred along similar lines to Declaration Of War but his half brother by Tale Of The Cat only got as far as 9f when trained by Jean Claude-Rouget. 

Ex South African Zambucca is once again outclassed as he was at Royal Ascot & even down in Listed company last Saturday.

Am a fan of Mukhadram (WON) so will be backing him at 14/1 E/W, I will back Verrazano if the ground stays fast on Saturday but that decision will be left until the day.   

Saturday's meeting at Sandown is packed with quality action starting with the Coral Charge which has attracted some decent sprinters as well as some chaff who are just after a bit of Group race action. Ahtoug ran fine on his first start back in the UK in the Kings Stand, he will be fitter for that here & is a big player. 

Dinkum Diamond has returned this season in grand form but has been dealt a nasty blow with his draw in 10 so has work to do. Old Kingsgate Native has missed all the big races since a highly encouraging return to action in The Palace House at Newmarket, he was an excellent 2nd in this last year & was 6th 2 years ago. Draw is fine for a hold up horse although as usual he will need luck in running. 

Rex Imperator has an awful draw in 13 & has no hope. 

Stepper Point has been done no favours by the draw in 9 for a front runner as he will have to cross half the field, he finally excelled himself in a big race last time but is no certainty to back that up. Steps has the plum draw in 1 although for a hold up horse it is unhelpful as all the field will have come over on top of him so he will need huge luck in running to get involved, like the run he conjured up at Epsom to get through nearly the whole field when a fast finishing 4th in the Dash. 

Trader Jack is not good enough in this grade & was well beat in the handicap on Friday. Extortionist has hit form with a vengeance on his last 2 starts, 3yo's have a great record in this winning 5 of the last 10 so he needs respecting from a decent draw. 

Green Door a stablemate of Extortionist's has a pretty lame draw in 11, he has been held up on his last few starts which I feel does not suit the horse as when he was at his best as a 2yo he was blazing on the lead. Shamshon's is back at his best trip & rates a potential improver from a corking draw in 2, player. Hay Chewed is improving at the right time, she won a nice fillies Listed race at Ayr comfortably last time out leaving not a great deal to find to get involved. She should get closer to Shamshon then 2 starts back & on both her starts at Sandown she has finished 2nd twice, fillies have won the last 3 renewals of this event. One Chance continues in the hunt for black type but has been well beaten by several of these already this year. Wind Fire beat Hay Chewed over this course & distance last time, she has clearly been saved for this since but has been done few favours by the draw in 12.

Not a race I will be playing in.

Top weights with low draws have dominated in the last 2 runnings of the Coral Challenger handicap. Top weight this time around is Baltic Knight who bounced back to something like his best with a close 2nd at Windsor last weekend in Listed, that was a step back in the right direction but for me he is not classy enough to cope with his weight in handicap company. Snowboarder has ability but will find this tough giving away weight to unexposed handicappers. Gabrial's Kaka is firmly in the handicappers grip now & is best watched. Prince Of Johanne won this race last year carrying 9-10 from a mark of 100, he remains on the same mark but is now carrying 9-3, he loves these handicaps & needs respecting despite running a rare shocker at Ascot last time. 

Burano doesn't win & how anyone can ever fancy him vexes me. 

Brazos ran a decent race upped to Group 3 company in The Jersey last time, back in a handicap against his elders he will need to continue his improvement from his mark. Russian Realm never got involved in the hurly burly of The Buckingham Palace last time, this smaller field will suit better & he is still improving from what still looks a workable mark, must be hard to beat. 

Secret Art was behind Russian Realm at Royal Ascot & looks in the handicapper's grip at present. Busatto is your typical in & out Mark Johnston handicapper, back to form with good 2nd last time in a less competitive race over further, back down in trip in a better quality event his mark demands more of him. 

St Moritz has been a real decent handicapper in the past & is still capable as his last time 3rd over course & distance showed in a slightly easier affair. He was 7th in this last season & even though he has had his confidence restored by wins in lesser company you would expect a less exposed type to have his measure like last time. 

Birdman has not been seen since a campaign through the winter on the AW which was fairly unsuccessful despite 1 win, he is miles better on a genuine soft surface & will struggle here. Velox was still travelling ok when badly interfered with at Epsom last time causing him to hit the rail, his trainer has booked a promising apprentice to take 5lbs off his back with the drop back in trip another plus, player. 

Lyn Valley now takes on his elders after finding life tough against his own age group, perhaps the easing in the weights will help here. 

Ifwecan a stablemate of Lyn Valley's found the going too tough when upped to the Britannia last time after bolting up at Musselburgh previously, will feel loose on the lead with his lightweight & it would be no surprise if he lasted longer than expected.

Decent race in which Russian Realm 5/1 (4th) should take the beating. 

Crowley's Law can hopefully atone for her Royal Ascot reverse last time where the draw did her no favours in a less competitive Coral Distaff, previously she had looked a filly on the up who should at least make the grade in Listed company. 
Queen Catrine was just denied at Royal Ascot in that Sandringham handicap, that had been her aim so whether she is ready to peak so quickly afterwards is debatable. Radiator should find this easier than The Coronation where she found very little & was well beaten, she is already proven in Listed company & will most likely head the market. Belle D'Or steps up looking for black type after an easy Salisbury maiden success, in truth it was a very average race but you had to be impressed by the way she did it. 
Wee Jean is not up to this class while Veiled Intrigue needs to show that her run last time on her seasonal debut in Group 3 company against older fillies was no fluke, she got herself into the race well but flattened out to finish a well beaten 2nd, fitness clearly was an issue but so for me was stamina over the 7f.

I like Crowley's Law but I won't be betting in a 6 runner fillies race.

A field of just 7 go to post for the Coral Marathon over 2 miles a race in recent years that has been dominated by 6yo's. Runaway Ascot Stakes winner Domination heads them, he should make the grade as he was rated 143 over hurdles so that should give him a shot in Listed company on the Flat, he was clearly wound up for Royal Ascot so for me it is a concern he is out within 2 weeks after such a dominant performance especially in a race that will be tactical. Havana Beat was as expected outclassed in the Gold Cup & will need more even dropped to this grade on what he has shown so far. 

Nearly Caught I assume will only run if there is some rain in the morning as he was taken out of the Plate last Saturday, for me he should be up to this grade & if he runs he wins. Repeater was on his best behaviour last week but you cannot rely on him repeating that effort in a smaller field. Whiplash Willie missed the Gold Cup due to ground so is another he may not turn up on Saturday, he took the step up to pattern company in his stride last time out on vastly different ground finishing a decent 3rd, if any rain comes then he will be involved but his action dictates that he needs a deluge. 

Body Language has been well beaten on all 3 starts this year but will at least enjoy the less competitive field here so could easily snag some more black type but she won't win. Earth Amber has not been seen since the early spring when getting black type on soft ground at Nottingham & Ascot, that type of ground seems essential for her so again could easily not turn up if the rain does not materialise, if it does then she has place possibilities.

Again with most of the runners needing rain I will not be playing until the day & if I do it will be Nearly Caught.

Over at Haydock its Old Newton Cup & Lancashire Oaks Day; The fillies event has attracted a strong field of 12 runners, older fillies have dominated since 2004 with 6 winners aged between 4 - 6. John Gosden has trained 3 winners in that time with 2 winners coming from the Luca Cumani stable. 

Astonishing bids to atone for her bad run in the Pinnacle over course & distance last time out where it appeared that the rain softened ground was to her distaste, back on a sounder surface she should be involved. Charity Line is unbeaten in 6 starts in her native Italy, she won last year's Italian Oaks before ending the season winning the Group 1 Premio Lydia Tesio. As we have seen with Italian raiders at this year's Royal Ascot the gulf in class is huge & on her first start since last October for a new stable she is passed over. 

Moment In Time was 2nd in this last year after winning The Pinnacle, since then it has been a gradual regression & she is best watched. 

Pomology is unbeaten in 3 starts culminating in an easy victory in The Prix Minerve last season at Deauville, this is her seasonal debut & William Buick has chosen her stablemate suggesting that she will need this, best not to underestimate her though. Stablemate Sultannia caused a minor surprise when winning the aforementioned Pinnacle over course & distance last time in good style from another stablemate Freedom's Light who has gone in again since, clearly a useful filly with the only difference this time around being ground conditions which are much faster than she has raced on to date. 

Rock Choir has been exposed in Listed company before & will need more upped in grade. Seal Of Approval last year's shock fillies & mares winner on Champions day drops back into her own sex after a good first run against the boys in The Yorkshire Cup, she would need some rain to be seen at her best here. Silk Sari from Luca Cumani's stable was 3rd behind Sultannia last time out on her first try in Group company, it was a decent first effort but where is she going to find improvement to turn that form around here?....perhaps the ground conditions will suit her better than Sultannia otherwise she looks set to struggle. Talent last year's Epsom Oaks was easily brushed aside in the Coronation Cup on her return, back against the girls here she has to be respected as a Classic winner. Wall Of Sound & We'll Go Walking were outpointed in Listed company last time & should not be up to this. Lustrous stayed on to get 2nd in an extremely weak renewal of The Ribblesdale last time, that form leaves her masses to find in this.

No bet after ground has changed.

The feature event on Haydock's card is the £100,000 Old Newton Cup Handicap a race in which unexposed 4yo's have had the edge winning 7 out of 10 in the last 10 years. 

Luca Cumani has had 3 winners since 2004 (Alkaased 2004 / Zeitgeist 2005 & Mad Rush 2008). The weight range carried to victory is between 8-8 - 9-3.

Luca Cumani holds a strong hand once more with favourite Havana Cooler who ran a race full of promise on his seasonal return in The Duke of Edinburgh at Royal Ascot last time, he has been raised a lb for that 3rd place & remains one to very interested in.

Fattsota has too much on from top weight. Sennockian Star returned to form last time with a battling 4th at Royal Ascot, could easily go well again here. 

Pallasator returns after a light campaign last year, he finished 3rd in the Old Borough Cup in September last year before a disappointing 5th in The Cesarewitch where he clearly did not get home, this trip is too short for him on his return & ground will be too fast, one to note for later in the season though. 

Wigmore Hall is handicapped to win a race but one wonders if much of the old flame still burns after a laboured effort at Royal Ascot. Aussie Reigns will try his best once more but needs some serious help from the handicapper. Quiz Mistress should have won this from a 9lb lower mark in 2012, she has struggled in pattern company ever since & needs rain. Dashing Star is a likeable horse who appears in the handicapper's pocket right now & has work to do with Havana Cooler on Royal Ascot running. 

Blue Surf missed Ascot due to the fast ground & is another who would need rain here, on his best form he would have a small chance if any rain did materialise. 

Salutation is so in & out that he could be Tom Daley, ran a blinder at Royal Ascot & if repeating that he must go well. De Rigueur caused a shock last time out at Newmarket, his new mark demands much more from him this around. 

Balty Boys has no hope of staying this far & would not be good enough anyway. 

Magic Hurricane is on the improve as he showed with a display of stamina on soft ground over course & distance last time, he now needs to improve again on faster ground from a 5lb higher mark. Mighty Yar showed nothing last time so one assumes there was a problem as the time before that he stayed on strongly to win a decent handicap from a filly who has gone in again since, faster ground will suit him here & perhaps that is the main issue he needs proper fast ground to be effective, if that's the case then he is still well treated here. Strictly Silver was 8th last year & will do well to be bettering that this time around despite getting back on the winning trail last time. 

Stomachion had a troubled passage at Epsom last time & did well to get as close as he did to a runaway winner, he is unexposed & improving from what looks a cracking mark, should make Havana Cooler pull out all the stops.

Forgotten Hero returns to the track after a near 250 day absence since a hugely disappointing effort in the November Handicap, would be some effort to win or get involved in such a competitive race on his seasonal return so is best watched. 

Buthelezi was unsurprisingly well beaten in last weekend's Northumberland Plate & the same outcome awaits here. Open Eagle is dropping down the handicap after a series of poor efforts, he is nearing his last winning mark & his shrewd stable are persevering with him in another good handicap, could go well.

It's not original but with Stomachion out Havana Cooler 4/1 (6th) Betfred is a strong fancy to win another Old Newton Cup for Luca Cumani.

         

@fttfracing