Coral-Eclipse
Warm and dry conditions in England have caused two significant defections from the mid-distance Group 1 £500,000 Coral-Eclipse to be held Saturday at Sandown Park, Esher.
Four-year-old Sariska, who won the Yorkshire Oaks and then was defeated by Fame And Glory in Epsom's Coronation Stakes, is not at her best on hard, fast ground and has been withdrawn.
The same is true of world-traveller Presvis.
It has been touch and go if the favourite, Twice Over (Observatory), would remain, but his trainer Henry Cecil has confirmed him.
Andrew Cooper, Director of Racing, has been watering and expects some rain this week. Still, expected ground conditions remain good to fast.
Those remaining in the July 3 race at this point are Chabal (diverted from the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby for similar ground conditions), Beethoven, Bright Horizon, filly Dar Re Mi, Encompassing, Fencing Master, Jukebox Jury, Mawatheeq, Sri Putra, Tazeez, Twice Over, Viscount Nelson and Zacinto.
Cecil's colt Twice Over is the betting favourite, but the Lloyd-Webber's filly Dar Re Mi is the Racing Post readers' favourite in their online poll.
Both TO and Zacinto were bred by Juddmonte and owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah.
Zacinto and Mawatheeq are third and fourth favourites with Aiden O'Brien's Steinbeck fifth at 14.1.
O'Brien has entered five of the 13 - two of whom, Bright Horizon and Encompassing, are pacemakers.
The race does not have a horse of calibre of last year's winner Sea The Stars, but the addition of O'Brien's five give the field depth and balance.
The race will probably be won on tactics giving advantage to whomever controls the pace.
Can the jockeys of the 'loner' horses position themselves to overcome their disadvantage?
Racing International http://www.racingint.com
Four-year-old Sariska, who won the Yorkshire Oaks and then was defeated by Fame And Glory in Epsom's Coronation Stakes, is not at her best on hard, fast ground and has been withdrawn.
The same is true of world-traveller Presvis.
It has been touch and go if the favourite, Twice Over (Observatory), would remain, but his trainer Henry Cecil has confirmed him.
Andrew Cooper, Director of Racing, has been watering and expects some rain this week. Still, expected ground conditions remain good to fast.
Those remaining in the July 3 race at this point are Chabal (diverted from the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby for similar ground conditions), Beethoven, Bright Horizon, filly Dar Re Mi, Encompassing, Fencing Master, Jukebox Jury, Mawatheeq, Sri Putra, Tazeez, Twice Over, Viscount Nelson and Zacinto.
Cecil's colt Twice Over is the betting favourite, but the Lloyd-Webber's filly Dar Re Mi is the Racing Post readers' favourite in their online poll.
Both TO and Zacinto were bred by Juddmonte and owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah.
Zacinto and Mawatheeq are third and fourth favourites with Aiden O'Brien's Steinbeck fifth at 14.1.
O'Brien has entered five of the 13 - two of whom, Bright Horizon and Encompassing, are pacemakers.
The race does not have a horse of calibre of last year's winner Sea The Stars, but the addition of O'Brien's five give the field depth and balance.
The race will probably be won on tactics giving advantage to whomever controls the pace.
Can the jockeys of the 'loner' horses position themselves to overcome their disadvantage?
Racing International http://www.racingint.com
Posted by susan trevelyan-syke at 6/30/2010 9:09 PM 
Categories: Coral-Eclipse 2010
Tags: Racing International Henry Cecil Zacinto Sandown Park Coral-Eclipse Twice Over Dar Re Mi
Categories: Coral-Eclipse 2010
Tags: Racing International Henry Cecil Zacinto Sandown Park Coral-Eclipse Twice Over Dar Re Mi
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