Racing Tips: Can Roaring Lion upset Masar in the Coral-Eclipse?

Betting preview and odds for today’s racing

There’s no day in racing quite like Coral-Eclipse day. And this year’s Sandown showdown looks set to be a classic.

Saxon Warrior, Masar and Roaring Lion will all go to post over the 1m 2f distance in a rematch of last month’s Epsom Derby. You can check out our horse-by-horse rundown of the main contenders here. 

A big day on ITV also includes the Coral Distaff, Coral Charge and the Lancashire Oaks. So it’s only right that the Coral News Team have looked over all the action from Haydock and Sandown and picked out their best bets from all seven races.

Four Lions on a shirt?

England will be hoping to get the job done against Sweden at 3pm, but it’s another sort of Lion who gets the nod at Sandown. Despite coming up against a pair of Classic winners in Saxon Warrior and Masar, we think Roaring Lion can produce a season best to land the Coral-Eclipse.

The three-year-old finished a shade over 2l off the pace in the Derby and the 2,000 Guineas. But his scintillating performance in the Dante Stakes at York over 1m 2f makes him the ideal candidate over the same distance in the Eclipse.

He showed an incredible turn of pace that day to blitz the field on good-to-firm ground. John Gosden’s charge will get similar conditions today. And with Saxon Warrior facing his third race in as many weeks and Masar showing better form over 1m and 1m 4f, there are black marks against his two main contenders.

Horseplay in the Oaks

It’s not only Sandown with an exciting card this afternoon. Haydock has three races on ITV, including the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks. And it’s that contest that gets our attention here with Horseplay.

Andrew Balding’s three-year-old has a Listed success under her belt and returned to action in May with a close second to St Leger-fifth Coronet. That’s a big form boost given the subsequent success of Capri, Crystal Ocean and Stradivarius following last year’s Classic.

She’s got the best form in the race and that should be enough for her to clinch this 1m 4f contest.

O’Brien’s filly in a Different League?

Finishing sixth in the King’s Stand Stakes behind Blue Point, Battaash and in-front of Lady Aurelia is no mean feat. So it could be worth keeping an eye on Aidan O’Brien’s filly Different League in the Coral Charge.

The three-year-old held her own against big-name contenders at Royal Ascot. If she can come on from that run in less formidable company this afternoon, she should be worth a play at each-way prices.

ITV Racing Tips:

12:20 Sandown – Different League

12:35 Haydock – Rude Awakening

12:55 Newmarket – Via Serendipity

1:10 Haydock – Horseplay

1:30 Sandown – Preening

1:45 Haydock – Society Red

2:10 Sandown – Roaring Lion

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing