Coral Eclipse 2012

3.45 Sandown

Coral-Eclipse (British Champions Series) (Group 1) (Class 1)  (3YO plus)

Winner £241,585

Advice: 1 pt win, 2 pts place Cityscape (11/2 general, 10/11 Paddy Power)

Cityscape: Never out of first two last season apart from his midsummer flop at Deauville, and took his form to new heights when running out a dominant winner of the Dubai Duty Free, with Muthadee 4 lengths back in second and the rest nowhere; Unable to show his best in the BMW Champions Mile but that best forgotten and first rate chance here with 10 furlongs not a problem.

City Style: Sixth behind Farhh in the Prince Of Wales’s but also got no run, coming too late to change things when sixth; Had previously been well beaten by Cityscape and won’t be reversing that form anytime soon.

Crackerjack King: Won seven of his eight starts in Italy for Sefano Botti, the only defeat came when disappointing in the Prix du Jockey Club last year on soft ground; Decisive defeat of Afsare confirms that he’s got quality and statement of intent that connections want to run him here for all that he has something to prove upped in class on a relative level; Interesting.

Farhh: Took his record to three wins from 4 starts when putting up handicap performance of the season in Thirsk Hunt Cup, unextended to win by 6 lengths off 100; Stepped up big time into Group 1 company in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes last time and marked himself down as an excepting prospect when flying late for third having gotten no run for most of the straight; Impossible to know if he’d have won but without So You Think in this field he comes here with one of best recent runs, while longer straight there should allow for better luck in running; Ground not a problem either and sure to be right there if he handles this second hard race in just over a fortnight.

Monterosso: Smart at middle distances last year but improved hand upon fist at Dubai Carnival, running away with the Dubai World Cup when last season on Tapeta; That form gives him excellent chance but worry that he’s not as good on turf and this is first run since; Others preferred.

Nathaniel: One of best 3 year olds last season, following up his wide margin King Edward Stakes win with King Goerge victory (game at the end although helped greatly by how race panned out); Seemed to be outpaced when fifth in Champion Stakes although not helped by his very poor draw (more relvant around Ascot than here); This ground (good to soft) will suit and hard not to like, but this his first run since after missing prep with bad scope and others preferred for the win (King George looks to be the main target).

Sri Putra: Always been there or thereabouts at the top level, placed in last two renewals of this contest, but very few wins and held by nearly everything so place chances at best for him.

Twice Over: Back to his very best last season when winning the York Stakes and then the Juddmonte International last summer (below par in Champion Stakes) and winner of this in 2010 (weak renewal but deserved); Not at best on first two starts this season but not really a horse for seasonal debuts and heavy ground to blame latest; Worry that ease in ground not helping his chances.

Bonfire: Promised much as 2yo when running on and very unlucky third in Gran Criterium and looked set to build on that when winning Dante at York at in May, but disappointed when leading UK hope for Derby; General feeling that this year’s 3yo crop a level below others but sure that he’s better than his Derby run, given how he failed to settle during the early parts of the race and how badly at ease he was on the track, while he failed to stay 1m4f; This no easy task but today could see him in a much better light.

 Cogito: Shaped like a horse of serious potential when winning first two starts, second a Listed race when getting 5lbs from good runner up; Not seen to best effect when in the St James’s Palace (hampered badly around turn) until making ground late into fourth; This a harder task and others preferred.

VERDICT: Still an exciting race in prospect even without the withdrawal of So You Think, who one has to assume would have taken the beating as he did on every single turf start he’s undertaken here. His absence is disappointing and while he may not have lived upto the hype he’s done a grand job and 10 Group 1’s (it should have been more) speaks well of him. In his absence, Farhh and Nathaniel both have standout chances, with Godolphin’s charge favoured of the pair given the good recent form of his yard and the fact that he’s sure to be at his peak, but CITYSCAPE is arguably as good as both based on his Dubai Duty Free win and with ease in the ground not a problem to him, and the step up in trip to 10 furlongs not expected to bother him unduly, he’s expected to make a bold show of things here. Bonfire has been dismissed readily by many but is sure to like this more than he did the Derby, and Crackerjack King deserves respect too, while Monterosso (possibly better on Tapeta) and Twice Over (faster the better) have something to prove on accounts of the surface.