Coral Eclipse Stakes Betting Preview

Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown is shaping up to be the race of the season thus far with Derby winner Motivator set to have his supremacy tested by Godolphin’s leading light Shamardal. However, this is by no means a two-horse race and it would be most unwise to overlook Starcraft, who appeals as a strong each-way alternative at 8-1 with William Hill.

The ex-Australian-trained colt was having his first run for six months – not to mention his first race in the UK, and his first race in the care of Newmarket trainer Luca Cumani – when staying on well to finish two-lengths third to Valixir and Rakti in the Queen Anne Stakes over a mile at Royal Ascot at York on June 14.

That was a highly creditable effort and one that suggested that the five-year-old, who has scored over distances ranging from seven-furlongs to a mile-and-a-half inclusive, would relish stepping back up to this mile-and-a-quarter trip.

Luca Cumani does so well with this type of horse. Falbrav is a shining example, but the Italian has also worked his magic on various others, including Alkaased, who has gone from winning handicaps last year to beating a high-class field consisting of last year’s Arc hero Bago and Coronation Cup winner Yeats in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in France last Sunday.

That said, Cumani will not need to coax much improvement out of Starcraft, as he has already proven himself at the highest level in the Southern Hemisphere, having landed six Group races, including three Group 1s in his native land, so he’s no stranger to the big time.

Looking at the likely runners, it’s Motivator and Starcraft that score highest in the stamina stakes and they are likely to be staying on best of all at the finish. Indeed, It’s worth remembering that 11 of the last 16 winners of this prestigious Group One contest had already proven themselves over farther than the Eclipse’s trip, which is pertinent because Sandown is a stiff track with a demanding uphill run-in.

Motivator was absolutely spellbinding when murdering his rivals in the Derby at Epsom where he beat Walk In The Park by five-lengths. Many may point to the fact that those that finished behind that day and have ran since have hardly advertised the form. But Motivator was simply a class apart there and is probably better than he has shown us so far.

The one thing that concerns me slightly is that the ground will be much faster than he has encountered thus far on Saturday. Chances are, he’ll probably act on it, as truly top-class horses win races on any ground, but there remains a doubt, therefore it has to count as a slight negative, particularly when we’re talking about a horse with a top-price of 11-10. Starcraft, in contrast, has won on rock-hard ground in Oz, so no concerns surround the five-year-old whatsoever going into the race.

Shamardal blitzed his rivals in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot at York, having already bagged the French 2,000 Guineas and French Derby. He prevailed under a fine tactical ride in the last-named event when making just about every yard and holding the late thrust of subsequent Irish Derby winner Hurricane Run. 

However, he was tiring in the closing stages that day and Sandown’s stiff uphill finish is a world away from Chantilly’s sharp circuit. Furthermore, the other jockeys will be prepared for Frankie Dettori’s likely tactics of dictating the pace and aiming to draw the sting out of his rivals’ tails by slowing the pace at halfway and then gradually winding it up before trying to steal a march in the home straight. I am confident that Saeed bin Suroor’s charge will be reeled-in during the final furlong by Motivator and Strarcraft, but I don’t mean to rubbish his chance altogether as he is a class-act.

It’s hard to envisage any of the other likely runners landing a blow, although whichever one out of Ace and Oratorio represent Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien will not be without each-way claims.

Betting verdict: 1pt e/w Starcraft @ 8/1 (William Hill)