Eclipse Stakes at Sandown

the Eclipse Stakes over ten furlongs at 16.50 CET at Sandown today is always one of the best races of the season, and is usually the first opportunity for the top 3yo´s to face their elders over a relatively neutral distance. In the last 30 years there have been 10 3yo winners, 10 4yo´s and 10 5yo´s. There are 5 3yo´s in today´s line-up. including Derby runner-up Kingston Hill (Roger Varian/ Frankie Dettori) who missed last week´s Irish Derby because of the firm going - and the Epsom 7th True Story (Saeed bin Suroor/ Kieren Fallon), as well as 2,000 Guineas winner Night of Thunder (Richard Hannon/ Richard Hughes); Night of Thunder was then runner-up ar Royal Ascot to the top-class Kingman, with War Command (Aidan O´Brien/ Seamus Heffernan). O´Brien possobly has better prospects with the ex-American Verrazano (Ryan Moore), second in the Queen Anne, but both the O´Brien runners, as well as Night of Thunder, are unproven beyond a mile.
Best of the older runners is undoubtedly the 5yo mare The Fugue (John Gosdn/ William Buick), who was most impressive when winning the Prince of Wales at Royal Ascot, beating the course record in the process. That was her fourth Group One success and she hads plenty of top-class form to her credit. What is not in her favour is the fact that she ran badly in this race last year, that fillies and mares have a very poor record here, and the possibility that her Ascot effort - tho it looked easy enough- may have taken more out of her than expected. She is the logical favourite but is not a great bet at the likely price.
Mukhadram (William Haggas/ Paul Hanagan) was runner-up here last year after being hampered. He could be an interesting outsider, altho well held by The Fugue on 2013 form. Another longshot is Tullius (Andrew Balding/ Jimmy Fortune), also up in trip but a Sandown specialist. Like Kingston Hill, he needs more rain to fall.
There was some overnight rain, but not a huge amount and the going is still officially good to firm. The firmer the better for The Fugue, also for last year´s Irish Derby winner Trading Leather (Kevin Manning), True Story and the two O´Brien runners.
It would probably be wise to wait and see how the weather develops before placing any bets. If it stays the way it is, then The Fugue is the obvious candidate, but ve are just a bit dubious. Mukhadram could an interesting each-way alternative.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Captain Bob - Mutawathea - Royal Seal
2. Race: Stepper Point - Steps - Kingsgate Native
3. Race: Russian Realm - Gabrial`s Kaka - St Moritz
4. Race: Radiator - Queen Catrine - Veiled Intrigue
5. Race: The Fugue - Night Of Thunder - Verrazano
6. Race: Whiplash Willie - Nearly Caught - Domination
7. Race: Prince Of Stars - Gothic - Idder