Coral-Eclipse preview: Latest runners, riders, odds and trainer quotes for the final field
THE Coral-Eclipse is all about the return of a certain Enable.
If she turns up in full flight, there's not much that can stop her on her day. However, there are doubts, and there are seven rivals waiting in the wings.
1. Danceteria - David Menusier/Jamie Spencer (50-1)
A Group 3 winner in France last time, and did improve to win that, but is very much up against it in this.
The programme limits options for horses such as this and I have no problem with connections having a go. It's a small field and anything can happen.
Menusier has said a Group 1 in Germany is the target, and this is a nice prep for that. Albeit he is unlikely to trouble the judges on Saturday.
2. Hunting Horn - Aidan O'Brien/Padraig Beggy (66-1)
A pacemaker ridden by Paddy Beggy you say? After last weekend's shock Irish Derby win by Sovereign, also labelled a no-hope pacemaker, I'm not quite sure what to write here.
In my Irish Derby preview I wrote you would be wasting any pound you put on Sovereign - ha.
So here we go again, I would be shocked if he got involved when push comes to shove and he's mostly here to ensure Enable doesn't get an easy time of things out front.
But who knows...
3. Mustashry - Sir Michael Stoute/Jim Crowley (16-1)
Steps back up in trip following a brief stint over a mile. Took the Group 1 Lockinge before finding the Queen Anne a but rough, so hard to weigh up his recent form.
Probably will enjoy this longer trip and Stoute's horses continue to fly, but hard to trust and much of the form between the milers this season and last I'm now taking with a pinch of salt.
His rating of 121 gives him a shout if the fillies under perform, but he failed to run up to that at Ascot and it might not quite be his genuine level.
4. Regal Reality - Sir Michael Stoute/Kerrin McEvoy (6-1)
I was interested in this horse at bigger prices a week or so ago, but those quickly crumbled when Stoute indicated the Eclipse was the plan.
He's come forward steadily and ran a career best over course and distance in the Brigadier Gerard last time out.
He is a quirky horse though and McEvoy will have his hands full even getting him to the start.
However, he's less exposed than plenty of these and I couldn't put you off having an each-way stab on him.
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5. Zabeel Prince - Roger Varian/Andrea Atzeni (16-1)
I tippped this horse at Royal Ascot and he ran no race whatsoever. I have no idea if it was the ground, but at the prices he would probably be my poke again here.
He has yet to prove himself in Britain, but has won a Group 1 in France and the form he showed earlier in the season is still better than a good few of these come into this with.
He'll stay this trip no problem and I'm glad to see Varian have him out again quickly, which gives me confidence Ascot was simply a bump in the road.
6. Enable - John Gosden/Frankie Dettori (EVS)
The Queen is back. After a long layoff, Gosden's star is back in action under man-of-the-moment Frankie Dettori.
She should take all the beating here. She has proven she can come back from long layoffs, winning at Kempton last season, and the trip will be fine too.
But, mares have a poor record in this and this is no walk in the park, with Magical waiting in the wings and a couple of unexposed horses also snapping at her heels.
Ultimately we have no idea just how fit she is, Gosden has been very quiet in the last week or so. If she's fit, she wins. If 90% she probably still wins. Any less, and it could be up for grabs.
7. Magical - Aidan O'Brien/Ryan Moore (11-4)
It's good to see her run in this, it would have been easy for O'Brien to leave Enable have the race to herself.
But she's here and is the obvious threat to Enable making a winning return.
She nearly got the better of her at the Breeders' Cup last autumn, but hasn't quite got back to that form since, albeit her run behind Crystal Ocean was much better.
She's had a busy summer already and will be as fit as they come here. If there's any chink in the armour of Enable, I'm sure Moore and the gang will be there to pick up the pieces.
8. Telecaster - Hughie Morrison/Oisin Murphy (12-1)
The only three-year-old in the race and gets a bit of weight because of that.
However, still has plenty to prove and is still a bit of a baby, which ultimately cost him in the Derby.
He won the Dante, but I'm still debating how worthy that form is due to the how the race was run.
He deserves his place in this and the track should suit well, but he needs to grow up and can't afford to run his race in the first furlong as he has a habit of doing.