Timeform view of the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday

Horse Racing

Thu July 02, 2026 · 8h ago

David Cleary lays out the Timeform view of the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday in his big-race guide.

Group 1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes, Sandown, one mile and a quarter, 3yo+

Traditionally regarded as the first clash of the generations at Group 1 level in the British calendar, though the King Charles III at Royal Ascot comes earlier, but it is certainly the first chance for the classic generation to be tested against their elders. The best performances in the race this century have come from two superior Derby winners, Sea The Stars and Golden Horn.

The three year olds have been dominant in the five seasons since Covid (the race was confined to those four years and older in 2020 due to the later timing of the Derby), with four of the five most-recent winners trained by Aidan O'Brien. The Eclipse has also seen smaller fields in the last five years, with six runners on three occasions and just four on the other two. The previous five runnings all had a minimum of seven take part.

Best winning performances on Timeform ratings since 2001

136 Sea The Stars
133 Golden Horn
131 So You Think
130 Ghaiyyath St Mark's Basilica
129 Nathaniel
128 Al Kazeem Notnowcato Refuse To Bend

Fifteen of the 25 winners so far this century, as rated by Timeform, fall in the range 124-128. Outstanding performances are rare, but so are renewals which are clearly substandard – Twice Over's and Medicean's years would fall into the latter category. The lowest-rated winning performance this century, though, came from City of Troy, who followed up his Derby winner with an underwhelming effort in defeating a weak field in 2024. He was given a rating of 120 for that effort, 10lb below the figure he ran to in the International at York on his next outing.

The International clearly has the edge over the Eclipse in terms of the quality of the field most years. The increase in prize money for the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot has also given connections of older runners an extra incentive to avoid meeting the three year olds. In response, prize money for the Eclipse rose to one million pounds for the first time in 2025. Ombudsman took in both races last year, below par when beaten by Delacroix in the Eclipse, but connections are skipping the race this year, so he can be aimed solely at York instead.

Tactics

Galen, one of two regular front runners among the five-day entries, hasn't been declared, but the presence in the field of longshots Flushing Meadows and King's Gambit, as well as Hawk Mountain, who has regularly led, would suggest that there will be a decent pace; how the pacemakers are deployed might be the question.

With Gethin, who can race keenly, tending to be held up – as is Saddadd – his owners' second runner King's Gambit seems likely to be used to ensure a well-run race to help Gethin's settling, though if he is ignored by the Ballydoyle contingent he may be less than effective in that role.

Flushing Meadows hasn't been used as a pacemaker previously, most recently seen finishing eleventh in the Britannia, but that would seem the reason for his presence out of his depth. Constitution River has been ridden behind the leaders and it seems likely Flushing Meadows will be there to give him a lead rather than force the pace. Hawk Mountain didn't make the running in the Jockey Club, though he had done previously. With Flushing Meadows in the field, he may well sit just behind that one.

Trip/Ground/Draw

A Derby winner dropping back two furlongs in trip would be the obvious question with the Eclipse, but that doesn't apply this year, with the three main three year olds all having made the frame in the Jockey Club and the two top four year olds having run really well over course and distance in the spring.

The Sandown ground is currently described as Good (Good to Firm in places), and with dry, warm weather forecast until the race, any change in that is unlikely. Such conditions are unlikely to pose a problem for any of the main contenders, though were the ground to be firmer than described that would be an unknown for Gethin, who has yet to race on firmer than good.

The draw is of little consequence, given the track and the size of the field.

Form

Constitution River is rated by Timeform 6lb ahead of the next-best runner in the Eclipse, though it is his performance in the Dee Stakes at Chester, rather than his effort in the Jockey Club which earns him that position. His sparkling victory at Chester was one of the very best performances in a Derby trial this century, behind only Golden Horn's win in the Dante, and a repeat would be good enough to win an average running of this race.

Constitution River didn't have to match that effort at Chantilly, where he overcame a poor draw to lead late on. He had ¾ length to spare over his stable-companion Hawk Mountain, with A Boy Named Susie, who was also drawn wide and found trouble in running as well, not far behind in fourth.

Hawk Mountain has the potential to improve further, though would need to if Constitution Rover returns to his Chester form. A Boy Named Susie had generally come up short at pattern/listed level prior to Chantilly and seems likely to do so again.

The four-year-olds Saddadd and Gethin are lightly raced for their age and only now coming into their own. Saddadd won the Gordon Richards here in April then ran a good first race at Group 1 level when third in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh. Gethin is having his first run in this grade. He won a listed event at Kempton on his reappearance, then made a race of it with the reappearing Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard at the end of May. Ombudsman obviously stepped up on that a good deal at Royal Ascot, but Gethin was clear of the rest and looks on the upgrade.

Constitution River and Hawk Mountain: Due to clash in the Eclipse

Pedigree

It's worth noting that all four of the Ballydoyle entries at the five-day stage were by Wootton Bassett, three of them out of very well-bred Galileo mares. Constitution River's dam is by Le Havre, a twice-raced sister to the Hardwicke and Champions Fillies & Mares winner Wonderful Tonight.

Paddock

Constitution River made his debut, just under a year ago, in a maiden at the Newmarket July Festival, which had been won the previous year by Field of Gold. He impressed as a type in a good field that day and went down only narrowly to Distant Storm. That maiden turned out to be one of the strongest races of its type run in recent years. The winner has been placed in the Guineas and Irish Guineas, while eight of the first ten to finish are now rated 100+ by Timeform, four of them 112+. A race to pay close attention to next week.

Gethin was a lengthy, scopey sort at three and is very much the type to improve with age. Saddadd is a well-made sort, with a bit more size to him than the majority by his sire Pinatubo.

Case For The Contenders

Constitution River: unbeaten since debut in a hot maiden; Dee Stakes win is the best form in the race by some way; overcame the draw in Jockey Club with two of his main opponents behind; uncomplicated.

Hawk Mountain: won the Futurity at Doncaster at two; in headgear this year, winning a Group 3 at Chantilly before finishing second in the Jockey Club; still improving and track ought to suit him.

Saddadd: lightly raced for age; improved form this year, winning Gordon Richards here, then finishing third to Almaqam and the Coronation Cup winner Bay City Roller at the Curragh; could improve again.

Gethin: son of 2020 Eclipse winner Ghaiyyath; lightly raced for age and improved this year, clear of rest when runner-up to Ombudsman in Brigadier Gerard here at the end of May; open to further progress.

A Boy Named Susie: has generally come up short at pattern level, though showed improvement when fourth to Constitution River in the Jockey Club last time, beaten under three lengths after finding trouble; also unlucky in running in Ballysax time before, interesting that Oisin Murphy, on board that day, is back in the saddle.

Click here for Coral-Eclipse racecard & free video form

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