Alongside the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes, the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown is one of the big midsummer championship races for middle-distance horses. Of the 13 runners decalred at the four-day stage, five are trained by Aidan O’Brien but all eyes are likely to be on ‘The Queen of the Turf’ Enable as John Gosden’s all-conquering mare makes her seasonal reappearance.
Run over 1m2f, the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse is is open to horses aged three and older and now part of the British Champions Series. Named after an equine star of the 18th century, the race was first run in 1886.
Coral-Eclipse Winners Since 2000
| 2000 | Giant’s Causeway | 3 | George Duffield | Aidan O’Brien | Magnier / Tabor | |
| 2001 | Medicean | 4 | Kieren Fallon | Sir Michael Stoute | Cheveley Park Stud | |
| 2002 | Hawk Wing | 3 | Michael Kinane | Aidan O’Brien | Sue Magnier | |
| 2003 | Falbrav | 5 | Darryll Holland | Luca Cumani | Rencati/Yoshida | |
| 2004 | Refuse to Bend | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin | |
| 2005 | Oratorio | 3 | Kieren Fallon | Aidan O’Brien | Magnier / Tabor | |
| 2006 | David Junior | 4 | Jamie Spencer | Brian Meehan | Roldvale Ltd | |
| 2007 | Notnowcato | 5 | Ryan Moore | Sir Michael Stoute | A. & D. de Rothschild | |
| 2008 | Mount Nelson | 4 | Johnny Murtagh | Aidan O’Brien | Smith / Magnier / Tabor | |
| 2009 | Sea the Stars | 3 | Michael Kinane | John Oxx | Christopher Tsui | |
| 2010 | Twice Over | 5 | Tom Queally | Henry Cecil | Khalid Abdullah | |
| 2011 | So You Think | 5 | Seamie Heffernan | Aidan O’Brien | Derrick Smith | |
| 2012 | Nathaniel | 4 | William Buick | John Gosden | Lady Rothschild | |
| 2013 | Al Kazeem | 5 | James Doyle | Roger Charlton | John Deer | |
| 2014 | Mukhadram | 5 | Paul Hanagan | William Haggas | Hamdan Al Maktoum | |
| 2015 | Golden Horn | 3 | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden | Anthony Oppenheimer | |
| 2016 | Hawkbill | 3 | William Buick | Charlie Appleby | Godolphin | |
| 2017 | Ulysses | 4 | Jim Crowley | Sir Michael Stoute | Flaxman Stables | |
| 2018 | Roaring Lion | 3 | Oisin Murphy | John Gosden | Qatar Racing |
Coral-Eclipse Trends
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- The last 17 winners have all been aged five or younger
- Most recent winners had raced at least twice in the current season
- John Gosden has trained three of the last seven winners
- 13 0f the last 17 winners had won a Group 1 race previously
Punters have decided that Enable is worth sticking with, despite having a first run since her victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf in November. That’s understandable given she’s won 10 of her 11 career starts and her trainer has a record second to none in the Coral-Eclipse.
But there is a big question mark about she’ll cope with the drop back in distance. Her only defeat came over 1m2f and when returning from a lay-off. The general Evens might now be a bit short as she is probably being targeted at a third Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in the autumn and hasn’t been easy to train in the past.
MAGICAL was beaten less than a length by Enable at the Breeders’ Cup last year. In three runs this year she’s won twice at the Curragh and was a little unlucky when second to Crystal Ocean in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last month. She is a top-class filly and the 11/2 currently available with William Hill is disrespectful of her chances given she has guaranteed fitness on her side.
Crystal Ocean’s trainer Sir Michael Stoute could have two runners. Mustashry (a general 16/1) might offer more value than the filly Regal Reality (a best 7/1) as he won at Sandown the last time he raced over 1m2f.
Danceteria is held by Regal Reality on the form book but another possible Aidan O’Brien runner Circus Maximus (also a best 7/1) won the St James’ Palace Stakes at Ascot, though that may have been a sub-standard contest this year. Telecaster (a general 12/1) didn’t run any sort of race in the Derby having won the Dante earlier at York but now has a bit to prove.
Coral-Eclipse 2019 Current Odds – Can Magical take revenge on Enable?
Enable Evens, Magical 11/2, Regal Reality and Circus Maximus 7/1, Telecaster 12/1, Mustashry 16/1, Zabeel Prince 20/1, Addeybb 25/1, Hunting Horn 50/1, Danceteria, Flag Of Honour, Knight To Behold and Magic Wand 66/1
(Odds correct at 3.15pm July 3)
