Steve Ryder analyses the 11 runners left in contention at the five-day confirmation stage for the 2025 Coral Eclipse at Sandown.
Coral Eclipse 2025
The Eclipse Stakes at Sandown has been sponsored by Coral since 1976 and is often the first time in a season that the classic generation get to take on their elders.
There are currently 11 entries for the Group 1 run on Saturday 5th July this year with the market headed by Royal Ascot winner Ombudsman.
Coral Eclipse Winners, Trends & Stats
The race has been won on multiple occasions by the same horse with Orme, Buchan, Polyphontes, Mtoto and Halling all winning the race in successive years.
Sea The Stars, Golden Horn and City Of Troy all won the race following success in the Derby and Paddington won the race in 2023 having won the Irish 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
- 11 of the previous 12 winners were rated 118 or higher
- Nine of the previous 12 winners had won last time out
- Nine of the previous 12 winners were having their first start at Sandown
- Eight of the previous 12 winners had previously won a Group 1
- Seven of the previous 12 winners were aged three
Coral Eclipse Runners Guide
Ombudsman
Unbeaten in his four starts last season before running well to finish 2nd in the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes over this course and distance on his reappearance. The four-year-old was attempting to give Almaqam 3lbs that day but the pair pulled four lengths clear of the 3rd.
Improved to win the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot by two lengths from Anmaat despite not getting the clearest of runs down the straight. The handicapper has raised him to a rating of 128 and that would set the standard in this race.
Sosie
French raider who is currently favourite for the Prix de l’Arc De Triomphe in October. Yet to race outside of France in his career but connections have stated that this will be a mid-season target for him. Victorious in his two starts at Group 1 level so far this season, he will appreciate this step back up to 1m2f having looked outpaced over 1m1f on his previous start.
Camille Pissarro
Appeared to relish the step up trip to 1m2½f when he won the French Derby last time at Longchamp. Showed his liking for France winning a Group 1 there last season before finishing 3rd in the French 2000 Guineas when behind stablemate Henri Matisse. Would have to be respected if the stable selected for this race for a yard with a fantastic record in it.
Delacroix
Sent off 2/1 for the Epsom Derby but could only finish 9th behind stablemate Lambourn that day. The son of Dubawi had previously beaten the dual Derby winner on his reappearance in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes before following up under a penalty in the Derrinstown Derby Trial on his next start, both over this trip of 1m2f.
He had previously shown high quality form last season as a juvenile when beating Stanhope Gardens in a Group 3 at Newmarket and when finishing 2nd by a nose behind Hotazhell in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster. It will be interesting to see if he is once again the choice of Ryan Moore.
Almaqam
Had the form of his Brigadier Gerard Stakes success boosted by Ombudsman at Royal Ascot which he missed because of the fast ground. Has shown his best form at Sandown in his career and showed he was versatile tactics wise when making all last time. Would rate a risky antepost bet with connections keen to avoid fast ground.
Anmaat
Won the Champion Stakes at Ascot on his final start last season and has finished runner-up in two further Group 1 contests so far this season. Beaten only half a length by Los Angeles in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh, he finished 2nd beaten only two lengths by Ombudsman in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last time.
White Birch
John Murphy’s stable star won all three of his starts last season including in the Tattersalls Gold Cup when beating Auguste Rodin. Beaten a neck by Los Angeles on his reappearance in the Mooresbridge Stakes, he suffered a troubled passage when a close 4th behind the same rival in the Tattersalls Gold Cup on his latest start. Connections decided to miss Royal Ascot because of the fast ground.
Ruling Court
Won the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket beating Field Of Gold by half a length before being a late withdrawal from the Epsom Derby on account of the ground. Connections ran him in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot over a mile on his next start where he appeared outpaced over that trip in third. This step up in trip should suit him based on that effort but he faces a few question marks now following his recent campaigning.
Stanhope Gardens
Closely matched with Delacroix on their Autumn Stakes run last season when runner-up by a neck. Justified short odds of 2/11 to win a three runner conditions race at Salisbury over a mile before finishing 5th in the Epsom Derby when shaping like a drop in trip to 1m2f would suit.
Hotazhell
Beat Tennessee Stud in a Group 2 before beating Delacroix by a nose in a Group 1 as a juvenile last season. Beaten 4 ½ lengths when 3rd in the Irish 2000 Guineas having been a NR in the French 2000 Guineas because of fast ground.
Expanded
Looked a juvenile full of promise when finishing a neck 2nd behind Shadow Of Light in the Dewhurst Stakes last season only a weak after a maiden success. Finished 9th on both of his starts this season in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Irish 2000 Guineas and would need to step forward from those efforts here.
Coral Eclipse Trainers & Jockeys To Watch
Aidan O’Brien has won this race eight times including three of the previous four renewals (didn’t have a runner in 2022) with St Mark’s Basilica (2021), Paddington (2023) and City Of Troy last year. John Gosden won this race in 2015 with Golden Horn and then successive years with Roaring Lion in 2018 and Enable in 2019.
Ryan Moore has won three of the previous four renewals for Aidan O’Brien winning on St Mark’s Basilica (2021), Paddington (2023) and City Of Troy (2024) last year. William Buick has won this race three times in total with Nathaniel (2012), Hawkbill (2016) and Ghaiyyath (2020).
Coral Eclipse Tips
Steve Ryder’s selections for the Coral Eclipse were advised ante-post on Tuesday 24th June.
Camille Pissarro (advised at 5/1) bids to emulate 2021 winner St Mark’s Basilica who won this race following runs in both the French 2000 Guineas and French Derby. Camille Pissarro hits the majority of trends other than being rated over 118 but being a progressive three-year-old that is unexposed over the trip, that can be forgiven.
Delacroix (advised at 9/1) bids to bounce back from defeat in the Derby when sent off favourite. Prior to that he had won his two starts this season over 1m2f at Leopardstown including when beating Lambourn on his reappearance.
Inconvenienced in the early stages of the contest at Epsom, he was looked after by Ryan Moore and he looks overpriced at current odds with his trainer suggesting this will likely be his next run.
