Sandown

Tactical nuance will be the order of the day in Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse, with Sandown's prestige affair hosting a trio of male thoroughbreds who have been tested and proven internationally and just one other very much on the fringe. With the big three of Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) responsible for nine top-level victories between them in this country, France, Dubai and Australia, this renewal really does offer something different. All of them have a largely consistent profile with...

Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown has been cut to four after Thursday's confirmation stage, with Aidan O'Brien declaring just St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) from his three initial entries left in earlier this week. With David Menuisier also opting to wait with Christopher Wright's Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), that means that Ballydoyle's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero faces two main rivals in the multiple Group 1 winners Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) plus the Jockey...

Seven horses, five Group 1 winners, have stood their ground for the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. at Sandown on July 3. Prince A. A. Faisal's Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) is favoured, and enters off wins in the $20-million Saudi Cup in Riyadh in February and a neck victory over Sunday's G1 Takarazuka Kinen victress Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on Mar. 27. The John and Thady Gosden trainee faces a stiff three-pronged entry from Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners' dual...

Godolphin homebred Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {Ire}), who won the G1 Cazoo Derby on Saturday, excited the race in good order and will target the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot on July 24. If he completes the double, he would be the first horse to do so since his grandsire Galileo (Ire) in 2001. Trainer Charlie Appleby said, "He has come out of the race great. As you saw he went on the seawalker yesterday morning and he has been out for a jog this morning...

Coming off a five-furlong Doncaster novice win May 15, Al Shaqab Racing's Ebro River (Ire) gave his first-season sire Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) a first black-type success with an impressive display in Thursday's Listed National S. at Sandown. Missing the break as he had done on his first two starts, the Hugo Palmer-trained chestnut who was one of his sire's more expensive yearlings when selling for 75,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2 quickly recovered to track the pace against the rail. In front approaching the...

Sandown's Listed Heron S. on Thursday offered some Royal Ascot clues, with Shadwell's Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) maintaining his unbeaten record on his first try on turf for the John and Thady Gosden stable. Having scored on debut on Newcastle's Tapeta Mar. 16 and over this mile trip on Kempton's Polytrack Apr. 5, the half-brother to last year's G1 Sun Chariot S., G1 Falmouth S. and G2 Duke of Cambridge S. heroine Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was restrained in rear early by Jim Crowley having been drawn widest of...

The names of Joe Mercer and Brigadier Gerard will be united once more with the announcement that Sandown's Group 3 contest which carries the name of the great horse will this year be run in memory of his former jockey, who died on Monday. Set to be run on Thursday, May 27 during Sandown's elite evening meeting, the 10-furlong race will now be named The Coral Brigadier Gerard Stakes (In memory of Joe Mercer). Brigadier Gerard (GB) (Queen's Hussar {GB}), trained by Dick Hern for his owner/breeders John and Jean...

8.25 ParisLongchamp, Debutantes, €27,000, 3yo, f, 8fT DOLIA (FR) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is the second foal out of The Aga Khan's G1 Dubai Sheema Classic heroine Dolniya (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}) from the celebrated family of Daylami (Ire) and Dalakhani (Ire). Alain de Royer-Dupre also has charge of the February-foaled bay, whose opponents include the Niarchos Family's La Fiamma (War Front), a Pascal Bary trainee who is the first foal out of the GIII Modesty H. winner Faufiler (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and therefore a granddaughter of the illustrious Six Perfections (Fr)...

One of the lesser-fancied 3-year-old colts in the line-up for Friday's G3 bet365 Classic Trial at Sandown, M M Stables' Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}) nevertheless emerged front and centre with no hint of fluke as he split the Godolphin duo of Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Runner-up in the Listed Ascendant S. on soft ground at Haydock in September, the William Haggas-trained 25-1 shot was sent forward from the break by Tom Marquand and made certain that Yibir was unable to enjoy an easy time there....

Sandown played host to the TDN Rising Star Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) on Friday and Clarehaven's heir apparent did not disappoint on his return in the G2 bet365 Mile. Still an unknown quantity despite wins in the G1 St James's Palace S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois last term, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's 4-11 favourite who signed off 2020 with a third in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot shadowed Shadwell's well-regarded Khuzaam (Kitten's Joy) throughout the early stages. Left in front passing three...

It has taken longer than initially expected, but Waldkonig (GB) (Kingman {GB}) finally got his Pattern-race win at the right end of his 4-year-old campaign in Friday's G3 Gordon Richards S. at Sandown. Labelled a TDN Rising Star at two, Gestut Ammerland and Newsells Park Stud's half-brother to Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) was winning for the first time subsequently in a handicap over this 10-furlong trip at Pontefract Apr. 6 and it was significant that he attracted support into 6-4 favouritism despite this looking competitive. Ridden up with the pace...

   Arguably the most exciting older horse in training in Europe sets out on his keenly-anticipated 4-year-old campaign on Friday, as 'TDN Rising Star' Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) takes in the G2 Sandown Mile. Escaping a penalty with his brace of Group 1 wins in the St James's Palace S. and Prix Jacques le Marois coming before the end of August, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's still-unexposed bay had excuses when bogged down in Ascot's testing conditions but still managed a respectable third in the G1 Queen Elizabeth...