Read Timeform's report of the Eclipse, in which Derby winner City of Troy was made to work harder than expected.
All eyes were on City of Troy, the first Derby winner to contest the Eclipse as a 3-y-o since Golden Horn, though the race had cut up around him, the older-horse contingent reduced on the day to his pacemaker and a runner-up who'd thus far failed to live up to the potential of his National Stakes win at 2 yrs, White Birch and Passenger still on the sidelines and the other Ballydoyle big guns likely waiting for the King George, while the 3-y-o challenge to him didn't exactly look potent, either, and only one of them gave their running on ground that had become very taxing thanks to significant rain in the preceding 24 hours on ground that had been well watered both earlier in the week and the week before; the state of the ground goes a long way to explaining why it proved such hard work for City of Troy, hanging over to the far rail in the latter stages after the field had come down the middle of the track, but his willing attitude saw him through.
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CITY OF TROY gained a fifth win from 6 starts, though given how simple his task looked it was a rather underwhelming effort, a shorter trip and steadier pace perhaps not suiting him so well as the Derby had, while, most significantly of all, ground that had become very taxing rendered this less about posting another big figure and more about getting the job done; taking a keen hold tracking the pace, he showed signs of wanting to lug to his right from quite early and even more so off the bridle, ending up on the far rail after the field had come down the middle of the track initially, but although he was threatened in the final 1f, he knuckled down late and left the impression at the line that he had more in the tank to call upon had it been required; while this performance won't worry connections of the top US dirt horses at all, the International at York is a race that has a long pedigree of producing big performances, and City of Troy remains with the potential to post a top-class one of his own there before any translatlantic mission, not least as firmer ground than he's encountered to date really ought to suit.
AL RIFFA, again in cheekpieces, looked in fine shape and proved at least as good as ever, if anything deserving marking up, given where he came from, another boost to the form of a Prix Ganay that has already provided the second and third in the Prince of Wales's Stakes from among the unplaced ones; held up, travelled well, headway 2f out, shaken up after, took second last ½f, kept on.
GHOSTWRITER, in the frame in 2 classics, ran as well as he ever has in taking third, making the winner work and just run out of second late on after City of Troy had carried him across to the far rail and then tightened him up slightly in the final 100 yds; he's in both the International and Irish Champion, which suggests he'll continue to be highly tried, though something a little less demanding mightn't go amiss next.
SEE THE FIRE ran respectably having not really settled over this 2f longer trip, faced with a stiff task again and on more testing ground than she'd encountered previously, likely to be fully effective at the trip at a more realistic level; patiently ridden, not settle fully, shaken up 3f out, hung right, left behind over 1f out.
HANS ANDERSEN was once again employed as pacemaker; soon led, kicked on entering straight, shaken up 3f out, headed 2f out, soon beaten.
DANCING GEMINI had plenty to find with the winner to turn the tables from Epsom, but he ran poorly nonetheless; held up, travelled well, shaken up over 2f out, soon beaten.
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