Coral-Eclipse analysis | Vadeni v Baaeed could light up the season

Vadeni does them for speed in cracking Eclipse

It looks a very straightforward Coral-Eclipse to unravel – speed won the day, with the somewhat predictable slow early gallop playing into the hands of the horse with the sharpest turn of foot and going against those that need a real test at 10 furlongs.

Alenquer led the way in the absence of a prolific frontrunner, or a pacemaker, with Bay Bridge sitting just off him, but the tempo set by Tom Marquand didn’t suit either his own horse or Sir Michael Stoute’s and both proved to be sitting ducks in the straight.

They fell away meekly, but both will be worth another chance when the emphasis is more on stamina at this trip and there will be plenty of options for them in the autumn.

As for the other four, distances of a neck, a head and half a length between the leading quartet dilute the view that this was an exceptional performance, but it’s very hard to crab VADENI who looks an out-and-out 10-furlong specialist.

The son of Churchill is unbeaten at the trip as he added the Eclipse to his French Derby victory, with quotes as short as 5/1 for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe not really making any appeal given that race looks a step too far where his stamina is concerned.

It’s a pity Jean-Claude Rouget was so quickly adamant that York’s Juddmonte International would not be under consideration for his horse, as a clash with Baaeed there would be a sight to behold, but we could get such a head-to-head later on in the season in the Irish Champion Stakes.

Rouget has trodden the path to Leopardstown before with Almanzor, a horse who followed up his Irish win in the Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on British Champions Day – and such a programme does not look out of the question for Vadeni who has all the tools to thrive on such a challenge.

His high cruising speed and turn off foot look his most potent weapons, but he’s straightforward and versatile regarding the ground, too, and the calibre of horses he beat in the run for the line in the Eclipse support the thinking that he is a horse out of the top drawer.

Mishriff, another former Prix du Jockey Club hero and a three-time Group One winner, was much more straight for this year’s Eclipse than last year’s and ran a belter, finishing strongly after having to be switched for a clear run, while Native Trail, also a three-time G1 plunderer, further underlined the case for the three-year-olds being a strong bunch with a solid effort in third.

Lord North, another triple Group One-winning horse, bounced right back to something like his best with an unlucky and close-up fourth, keeping on to be beaten just a length despite finding trouble in the run.

All four horses involved in the finish had the speed and the class to run to a high standard despite a moderate gallop for the grade, so it says something that Vadeni was too good for trio of horses with a collective nine Group Ones between them.

He’s a class act and a showdown with Baaeed could light up the Flat season further down the line.

Remarkable win for Group One winner-in-waiting Free Wind

How good was FREE WIND in the Lancashire Oaks? To overcome almost being brought down when running into the back of Eshaada just after the two-furlong marker was seriously impressive, as she didn’t have much time to regain her momentum and she didn’t just win, she won going away by over two lengths.

Last year the daughter of Galileo just got better and better with each race and if she improves from this she must have a fine chance of winning a Group One on what will be her first attempt at the top level.

The Darley Yorkshire Oaks looks the obvious race for her and though the Gosdens also have Emily Upjohn, who is favourite for that race, she has multiple options including the Irish Oaks and King George, so she wouldn’t be certain to turn up on the Knavesmire.

Owner George Strawbridge is well used to having winners at the Ebor meeting – think Lucarno, Thought Worthy and Valley Forge – and though Free Wind was cut for the Group One contest the best available 8/1 with Betfair and Paddy Power remains very fair.

Saturday’s win came on soft ground, the softest ground she’s ever encountered, but all of her wins at three came under better conditions and she just looks extremely versatile on that score, so she appeals for an antepost bet with that 8/1 for York too tempting to ignore.

Eyecatcher: Speycaster on the radar for the Melrose

Finally one for the notebook, as SPEYCASTER caught the eye with a very good run in fourth in the bet365 Handicap over 1m6f at Haydock.

He basically fell out of the stalls and lost a good few lengths at the start, but he recovered from being last in the early stages to pick his way through the field for fourth.

The run was reminiscent of that of Ghostwatch in the same race in 2018, as he had a similarly tardy start when rearing leaving the stalls before running on nicely for fifth.

He went and won the Sky Bet Melrose at York on his next start and with this experience under his belt Speycatcher could be a likely sort for the 3yo-only handicap on the Knavesmire next month.

Click here to add Speycaster to your My Stable tracker

More from Sporting Life

• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.