Barney Roy and Cliffs of Moher are heading the betting and are just two of the star names confirmed for the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday.
The Richard Hannon-trained Barney Roy was runner-up to Churchill in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May, but reversed the form when landing the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
He will step up to a mile and a quarter for the first time this weekend and is one of two Godolphin-owned contenders along with John Gosden’s Jack Hobbs, who was bitterly disappointing in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at the Royal meeting.
Cliffs Of Moher has had this race as his target ever since filling the runner-up spot in the Epsom Derby.
The Galileo colt heads a five-strong team for Aidan O’Brien, with the Ballydoyle handler also responsible for Deauville, Johannes Vermeer, Orderofthegarter and Taj Mahal.
Other contenders for a fascinating contest include Martyn Meade’s stable star Eminent, the Roger Charlton-trained Decorated Knight, Mark Johnston’s King Edward VII Stakes victor Permian and Ulysses from Sir Michael Stoute’s yard.
Eclipse sponsors Coral have seen support come in for Cliffs of Moher and have the Colt as favourite.
“Cliffs Of Moher has been at the head of the Coral-Eclipse betting ever since Aidan O’Brien said the Sandown Group One was the likely next target for the Derby runner-up, and having been 3-1 for the race following the latest entry stage on Monday, Ballydoyle’s main hope has been by far the best-backed contender in the last 24 hours, and it would take something dramatic for him not to start favourite on Saturday now,” said Coral’s David Stevens.
Coral-Eclipse:
9-4 (from 11-4) Cliffs Of Moher, 7-2 Barney Roy, 9-2 Eminent, 15-2 Decorated Knight, 8 Jack Hobbs, Ulysses, 14 Permian, 16 Deauville, Orderofthegarter, 20 Johannes Vermeer, Lightning Spear, 40 Desert Encounter, 50 Blond Me, 66 Algometer, Salouen, Taj Mahal