ITV will bring us seven live races this Saturday with action from Sandown’s Coral-Eclipse Day and Haydock’s Old Newton Cup Day.
- 1:50 Sandown: Coral Charge – Adrestia @ 6/1
- 2:05 Haydock: bet365 Handicap – Way Of Stars @ 8/1
- 2:25 Sandown: Coral Challenge – Classic Encounter @ 11/2
- 2:40 Haydock: bet365 Lancashire Oaks – Estrange @ 1/4
- 3:00 Sandown: Coral Distaff – Blue Bolt @ 7/4
- 3:15 Haydock: bet365 Old Newton Cup Handicap – City Of Delight @ 17/2
- 3:35 Sandown: Coral-Eclipse – Ombudsman @ 10/11
Saturday’s live racing highlight is undoubtedly the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, one the flat season’s big middle-distance contests. This year, sponsors Coral have boosted the prize money to £1m to commemorate a 50-year association with the race.
Heading the betting is John & Thady Gosden’s Ombudsman who was highly impressive when winning the Prince Of Wales’s over the same 1m2f distance just over a fortnight ago at Royal Ascot. Chief amongst the challengers will be Andre Fabre’s Sosie, who is 2-2 this season in France, both of which were Group 1’s.
Also in contention is Aidan O’Brien Delacroix, who disappointed as the Derby favourite finishing down in ninth but is more than capable of bouncing back. O’Brien will also be represented by French Derby winner, Camille Pissarro who will be partnered with Christophe Soumillon, Ryan Moore has opted to ride Delacroix on Saturday.
The 2000 Guineas Champion, Ruling Court, couldn’t match Field Of Gold over 1m at Ascot but raced like the step up in distance of a quarter of a mile could suit. Even outsider Hotazhell isn’t without a chance. Jessica Harrington’s colt finished third behind Field Of Gold in the Irish 2000 Guineas in his only start this season after a stellar two-year-old campaign which included pipping Delacroix to the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster.
Also live from Sandown in the build up to the Eclipse will be the Group 3 Coral Charge over 5f, the 1m Coral Challenge Handicap and the Listed Coral Distaff for fillies, also over 1m.
Joining Sandown on our screens will be three races from Haydock who’s Old Newton Cup meeting, their flat season highlight, comes to a close on Saturday. The big betting heat will be the Old Newton Cup itself, a class 2 handicap over 1m4f which boasts a prize fund of £150k this year. The 16-strong field has Ed Walker’s Sir Lowrey’s Pass instilled as the favourite after finishing first and third over two runs over 1m2f so far this season. Six runners are currently in single figures in what will be a hugely competitive renewal.
Four runners will line up for the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks with David O’Meara’s Estrange the short-priced favourite. She won the Group 3 Lester Piggott Stakes at the same track in May with plenty to spare and will be aiming for the Nassau Stakes or the Yorkshire Oaks later in the summer to continue her progression. The remaining race from Merseyside will be the bet365 Handicap over the staying distance of 1m6f.