CORAL-ECLIPSE

(GROUP 1)

IT was a great pity that Derby winner Masar had to drop out but Saturday’s Group 1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown still provided a wonderful spectacle as Roaring Lion, giving everything close home, wore down the gallant Saxon Warrior to prevail by a neck. Cliffs Of Moher ran on into third.

This was a tactical race where no quarter was asked or given, right up to the dying strides, where the winner bumped his old rival, prompting a protracted stewards’ enquiry.

Hawkbill took them along, followed by Forest Ranger, but even with only seven runners it soon became apparent that Roaring Lion (7/4 favourite) and Oisin Murphy would have to come around the outside as Saxon Warrior’s stable-companion Happily shadowed the 2000 Guineas winner towards the far rails.

Saxon Warrior headed Hawkbill a furlong out and went for home with Roaring Lion, sensibly resisting the temptation to come between horses, gaining ground inch by inch.

John Gosden’s runner went left initially but then veered right and nudged Saxon Warrior as they approached the line.

CONVINCING

It is often said that a neck is a convincing enough margin, especially with the way the rules are interpreted in Britain, but this was by no means an open and shut case and the officials took their time. In the end, the fact that Roaring Lion had just about gained the day when making contact saw his narrow triumph confirmed.

There is hardly anything between the pair on the course or in the book. Roaring Lion seemed to have done enough in last year’s Racing Post Trophy until Saxon Warrior’s late spurt worried him out of it.

The Lion was below his best in the Guineas but won the Dante in splendid fashion, even if his erratic course close home meant that few were surprised by last week’s drama.

He stayed a mile and a half better than Saxon Warrior on easy ground when third to Masar at Epsom but, against that, Aidan O’Brien’s horse ran a fine third in the Curragh version only seven days before last week’s valiant effort.

It will be quite something if they meet again in the Juddmonte International at York with Masar alongside them.

O’Brien had things worked out almost to the inch on Saturday, with Wayne Lordan on Happily giving Saxon Warrior the room he needed when Donnacha O’Brien was ready.

“Yes, there were fascinating tactics, as usual,” Gosden said. “It got us three wide and we were further back than we wanted. They were tempting us to drop in but if you do that you can be caught in a box. Full marks to Aidan for sending Saxon Warrior back here a week later, as cool as a cucumber. He looked great in the preliminaries and ran a phenomenal race.”

Murphy is retained by Roaring Lion’s owner, Sheikh Fahad of Qatar, and rides very few for Gosden.

“He rode a very cool race,” the trainer added. “He wasn’t going to get himself in any trouble and he timed his run perfectly.”

Murphy picked up a four-day suspension for careless riding but it hardly took the gloss off riding his first British Group 1 winner.

“I knew I was on the best horse here, that’s the bottom line,” he said.

“They kept me wide but John said not to get sucked in whatever happened because I didn’t need cover.”

Aidan O’Brien, while hinting that the head-on view showed clearly enough that the two horses had come together, had no complaints. “We had a very good run through and I’m delighted. We can really look forward to the autumn,” he said.