Roy’s our boy in Coral-Eclipse
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Taking on the favourite at Sandown
We have an incredible Saturday of horse racing ahead, but there can be no doubt about the highlight, with seven races at Sandown topped by the 2017 Coral-Eclipse. We’ve witnessed some thrilling renewals of this famous old race over the years, and this year’s line-up suggests we’re in for another cracker.
What better way to get involved than backing the winner, and with the race sponsor too? Click here to support your pick. We aim to help solve the puzzle with our selection in the big one, while lovers of our popular race-by-race selections will find them laid out below, as we look to land a big price Surrey multiple.
Cliffs of Moher the traders’ choice
The Coral-Eclipse goes to post at 3.35pm, with a one mile one furlong trip on good ground laid out in front of the talented nine-runner field. A group one contest, there’s a whopping prize pot up for grabs, and our traders have pinned Cliffs Of Moher as the most likely winner, 2/1 available at the time of writing.
With O’Brien’s star winning a listed race at Chester earlier this year, and finishing second behind Wings of Eagles in the Derby at Epsom last month, we wouldn’t put anyone off following the gifted three-year-old, but we’re going to take him on with something at a bit more of a price.
Barney Roy arrives in form
That will be Barney Roy. Jotted down as second favourite, Richard Hannon’s rep is equally as gifted as the jolly, and goes in with a simply stunning CV, showing three wins and a second from four career starts. Having pieced together a perfect start, winning on debut at Haydock, he followed that with success in the group three Greenham Stakes at Newbury in April, beating race favourite Dream Castle home by two lengths.
That was followed by the only slight blot on his copybook, beaten by Churchill in the 2000 Guineas, a length the difference. If your selection is going to lose a race, there’s not too many better to do it against than Churchill, and we’re more than happy to take the positives, especially as he ran a big race in defeat.
Selection goes at a nice price
A return to winning ways last time out, Barney Roy bagged the group one St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot little over two weeks ago, gaining revenge over Churchill, and that form is impossible to ignore. The one question is his ability to handle the trip, but we’ve seen evidence to suggest there’s plenty more in the tank.
We can’t see past the second favourite here. For our stake money we will be getting the form horse of the field who could’ve, with a bit more luck, been going into this with an unbeaten record. He’s not, of course, but he will have a big say on the day. 11/4 is a better price than expected, and we grab hold.
Sandown selections
1.20 – Mazyoun
1.50 – Battaash
2.25 – Blair House
3.00 – Paco’s Angel
3.35 – Barney Roy
4.10 – Nearly Caught
4.40 – Frontispiece
