THE Coral-Eclipse wasn’t always hyphenated. Actually, it used to be one word. CoralEclipse.

The sponsor and the race name used to be even more inextricably linked than they are now, with the hyphen first appearing as the demarcation between sponsor name and race title in 1997, that dramatic renewal in which Pilsudski got home by just over a length from Benny The Dip, with the unlucky Bosra Sham back in third, and it has been there since.

It’s just the Coral-Eclipse too, not the Coral-Eclipse Stakes, and it stands alone, making it even more difficult than it might otherwise be to refer to the race without referring to the sponsor, which is, after all, completely the point. It’s justified too. When you sponsor a race for 50 years, you’re entitled to have your name unequivocally associated with the race.

Aidan O’Brien’s name is another that is associated with the race, if not unequivocally, then definitely consistently, and more often than the name of any other trainer since the race was first run in 1886. When Ryan Moore got Delacroix up from an improbable position to beat Ombudsman by a neck in last year’s renewal, he brought up a fourth win in the race in five years for trainer and jockey, and a record ninth win in the race for the trainer.

Earlier this week, it looked like it was going to be Constitution River or Hawk Mountain, now it’s Constitution River and Hawk Mountain (and Flushing Meadows), and that makes it long odds-on that the prize will be going back to Ballydoyle for the 10th time.

Difficult to do

These two finished first and second in the Prix du Jockey Club last time, two-thirds of a Ballydoyle 1-2-3, Constitution River coming from stall 15, which, history tells us, is very difficult to do at Chantilly. Hawk Mountain came from stall 11. Not easy either.

Before that, Constitution River had been impressive in winning the Dee Stakes at Chester, and the form of the race is looking even stronger now than it was then.

He won by seven lengths from Generic, who sprang an 18/1 shock in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot, with nearly three lengths back to third-placed Golden Story, who beat Queen’s Vase runner-up Del Maro in the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood next time.

There is no knowing how good Aidan O’Brien’s horse could be, this 10-furlong trip is probably his optimum, and he is the correct favourite for the race.

Hawk Mountain won the Beresford Stakes and the Futurity Trophy last year, a Group 2 race and a Group 1 race over a mile, and he won a Group 3 race at Chantilly on his debut this season, before he went back there and finished second to his stable companion in the Prix du Jockey Club.

He is obviously a player too, a key cog in what is a formidable challenge from Aidan O’Brien. And three-year-olds have won the last five renewals of the race, and eight of the last 11.

Fully deserving

Gethin comes into it, Owen Burrows’ horse ran Ombudsman to a neck in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes over this course and distance at the end of last month, and A Boy Named Susie is fully deserving of his place in the line-up. Donnacha O’Brien’s colt finished a close-up fourth in the Prix du Jockey Club last time, when he didn’t have a whole lot of luck in-running.

That said, Saddadd could be the most under-rated horse in the race. Roger Varian’s colt is four now, but he has raced just eight times in his life, and he remains progressive. He won the London Gold Cup as a three-year-old last year, a race that his trainer won in 2017 with subsequent Coronation Cup and Hardwicke Stakes winner, Defoe. And he was impressive in winning a good handicap at Sandown next time off a mark of 101, over today’s course and distance.

He was impressive again in winning the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes on his debut this season, again over today’s course and distance, and, while he could finish only third in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh last time, there was mitigation.

He was back in the field early on in a race in which, and on a weekend on which, it was difficult to make ground from the rear. He was widest of all too, but he stuck to his task well. He was fastest of all through the final furlong, and he got to within three-parts of a length of runner-up Bay City Roller, who won the Coronation Cup by 10 lengths next time, admittedly on softer ground.

Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum’s colt should appreciate the return to Sandown, a track at which he is two-for-two, both wins gained over today’s course and distance, and there should be a strong pace on, which will suit.

His trainer nominated this race as his target from a fair way out and, under close to optimal conditions, he could be primed to put up a career-best performance. That may not be good enough, but it may be.

Coral Challenge

Earlier in the day, Beagle Bay looks a little over-priced in the Coral Challenge.

Impressive in winning a seven-furlong handicap on soft ground at Yarmouth in early May off a mark of 80, Ralph Beckett’s horse stepped forward from that last time when he won a Class 2 handicap over today’s course and distance off a mark of 89.

He only got home by half a length that day from Raammee, but he left the impression that he had a good bit more in hand than that.

He raced prominently from early in a race that was run at a good pace, but he always travelled well and he picked up nicely when Hector Crouch asked him to. His slightly high head carriage notwithstanding, it was a professional performance in a race in which he always looked comfortable.

The handicapper raised him by 5lb for that to a mark of 94, but he won with a little in hand and, a four-year-old who has raced just five times in his life, he has the potential to improve again. He is proven over the course and distance, and Ralph Beckett’s horses are in good form.

Cerulean Bay was tempting at the price and, with Danny Tudhope at the Lancashire Oaks meeting at Newmarket (sic.), Colin Keane is a great booking. But it may be that he will have to go too far back in the field from his wide draw, 17 of 17, and it’s not easy to come from well back in a big field at Sandown, unless they go too fast up front.

That is not beyond the bounds of possibility here, with River King and Balmacara in the line-up, but, everything into the mix, at the prices, Beagle Bay is the percentage call.

Recommended:

Beagle Bay 2.25 Sandown - 1 pt e/w @ 6/1 (generally)

Saddadd 3.35 Sandown - 1 pt @ 7/1 (generally)