After correctly predicting the first two home in last weekend’s Irish Derby , we’ve now ranked all seven Sandown runners in our Eclipse Stakes tips for this Saturday.
Superstars such as Mill Reef , Brigadier Gerard, Dancing Brave, Sea The Stars and Enable feature among the past winners of this 10-furlong Group One contest . Another strong field has been assembled this season, as Aidan O’Brien seeks a fourth straight success , and here’s how we rate the entries in reverse order:
Eclipse Stakes Tips
Flushing Meadows
7. FLUSHING MEADOWS @ 150/1
Team tactics have come under scrutiny of late and this O’Brien outsider looks headed to Sandown just to help ensure a decent gallop.
King's Gambit
6. KING’S GAMBIT @ 66/1
Not to be outdone by the boys from Ballydoyle, Wathnan Racing stumped up a £50,000 supplementary fee to add Harry Charlton’s charge to the field in the likely role as pacemaker.
Saddadd
5. SADDADD @ 7/1
Our look at the genuine contenders for glory begins with Roger Varian’s dual course and distance winner, who landed a handicap here in fine fashion last summer and took the Group Three Gordon Richards Stakes in a similar manner this spring. Saddadd was far from disgraced when stepped up to elite level in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh , finishing third behind Almaqam and subsequent Coronation Cup victor Bay City Roller , so has to be respected back at a stiff track that clearly suits.
A Boy Named Susie
4. A BOY NAMED SUSIE @ 15/2
Donnacha O’Brien has taken on his dad a number of times with this son of Starspangledbanner and always come up just short. However, A Boy Named Susie has gone close twice against Epsom Derby ace Christmas Day , was runner-up to Pierre Bonnard in a Saint-Cloud Group One and did not enjoy a clear passage when a staying-on fourth in the French Derby .
Gethin
3. GETHIN @ 4/1
The Wathnan number one comfortably accounted for Saddadd when they met at Newbury last term and appears to have improved again from three to four. After powering home on the all-weather at Kempton , Owen Burrows’ colt made Ombudsman pull out all the stops when going down by just a neck in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes over this track and trip, which reads really well following that winner’s recent Royal Ascot romp.
Hawk Mountain
2. HAWK MOUNTAIN @ 5/1
The lesser fancied of Ballydoyle’s two big guns won’t mind any of this week’s rain, having rounded off a successful juvenile campaign by claiming the Group One Futurity Trophy at Doncaster on heavy ground. Started off this term with a solid Group Three win across the Channel and returned to Chantilly to finish a game second in the French Derby, so it is hard to see him not being thereabouts once more.
Constitution River
1. CONSTITUTION RIVER @ 11/10
Aidan O’Brien is enjoying a sensational season with his three-year-olds and this lad has arguably been the pick of an elite Classic crop. The Wootton Bassett colt earned rave reviews for a seven-length triumph in the Dee Stakes at Chester and then made light of a wide draw to claim French Derby glory , when Ryan Moore always appeared to be in control against stablemate Hawk Mountain .
O’Brien , who is chasing a record 10th victory in this race , said of his top duo: “It’s exciting for everybody, they’ve followed a similar programme all year. Everything has been good with the pair of them since they ran in the French Derby and the Eclipse looks the right race for both of them.”
Betting Tips
Eclipse Stakes Rankings
Simply click/tap on the above betting tips to add to your betslip.
Bet on Horse Racing Odds at BOYLE Sports
*Prices are subject to fluctuation
Remember, Always Gamble Responsibly
Not all opinions are equal. The BOYLE Sports Team is made up of experts who know the sports and betting world inside out, delivering the kind of insights and analysis that give you a real edge where it matters most.
