Derby Winner Adayar to Miss Eclipse with Appleby Looking at King George Instead

Last year's Derby winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will will miss the Coral-Eclipse S. at Sandown, according to his trainer Charlie Appleby, who has nominated the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot next month as the most likely destination for the 4-year-old's return. 

Adayar has not run this season and had already been ruled out of the Coronation Cup at Epsom after suffering a minor setback. 

However, Appleby has reported Adayar to be back in full work and, while he won't be ready in time for the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot or the Eclipse, the trainer is optimistic that he will make the King George VI.

Appleby said, “We have decided to bypass the Eclipse at Sandown and head straight to the King George VI at Ascot with Adayar.

“He is back in full work and doing well, but we want to allow him plenty of time to build back up to race fitness.”

 

The post Derby Winner Adayar to Miss Eclipse with Appleby Looking at King George Instead appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Coral-Eclipse: Globetrotting Star Mishriff ‘Needs To Do It In The UK’

John Gosden believes Mishriff can claim a first British Group One success in what promises to be a fascinating clash of the generations in the 125th running of the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park on Saturday (July 3rd).

Last year's Prix du Jockey Club winner will attempt to land a first domestic top level success at the weekend on his first start in Britain this year in the prestigious Group One prize.

It has been a campaign to savor so far for the son of Make Believe who made a winning return in the Saudi Cup at Riyadh on his dirt debut in February before following it up with Group One victory on his first start over a mile and a half in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan the following month.

Although Mishriff has demonstrated his talents on an international stage Gosden, who is seeking a fifth Coral-Eclipse success, feels he must now translate that form back on home soil.

He said: “I think that it is absolutely right (that he needs to win a British Group One to be one of the best mile and a quarter horses around). He has done it in France and done it in the Middle East but he needs to do it in the UK.

“We've been happy with him. He trained nicely into the Saudi Cup and then flew home then had to train again for Sheema Classic. He showed his versatility having to do a mile and an eighth on the dirt and a mile and a half on the turf.

“The idea was to freshen him up and give him every possible chance to come back in for our summer program. We are starting him off here in the Coral-Eclipse which had been our plan for a long time. I've been very happy with his preparation. He is not a horse I've taken away for a racecourse gallop as he has had enough travelling this year already.”

Despite this year's Coral-Eclipse attracting only four runners, Gosden insists it is very much a field of quality over quantity.

He said: “I know it is a small elite purist field but what people have to realize is that it is a lot of money to enter these races, it is a lot of money at the first forfeit stage and it is a lot of money to confirm.

“When you have the likes of the front three here they are not easy to take on so I think people slightly take that view point.

“When people criticize the size of the field remember the Prince Of Wales's was only run 16 days ago and from my experience it is very tough to come from the Prince Of Wales's and roll straight into a Coral-Eclipse – they come awfully tight.”

Assessing the opposition Gosden has respect for both this year's French 2000 Guineas and French Derby winner St Mark's Basilica from the yard of Aidan O'Brien and his old adversary the William Haggas-trained Addeybb, who he finished behind in last year's Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Gosden continued: “I've got tons of respect for Addeyyb. I think he is a wonderful horse. He has won a Champion Stakes and he has won in Sydney.

“I don't want to be critical but the ground was diabolical (at Ascot) and full marks to the winner as he handles it but our fellow couldn't go in at all. I had a lot that day that went wrong and Aidan (O'Brien) had a lot that day that went wrong. It was bottomless ground.

“There is talk about some rain on Saturday afternoon and if the rain came that is something Addeyyb would enjoy immensely. We are probably happier on anything from good to firm to good soft. I've lots of respect for him then comes the big question and it is great that you have the best mile and a quarter three year old colt in Europe (St Mark's Basilica) running. He has won a Dewhurst, a French Guineas and he has gone and won the Prix du Jockey Club, the same as Mishriff did, so that really is the ultimate test of the three year olds against the old ones.

“Interestingly enough I remember Lester (Piggott) saying to me that the 3-year-old has the advantage in his opinion in the Coral-Eclipse with the weights.

“I know it has changed one pound since those days and it is a 10lb difference now but he always felt 3-year-olds had the edge and I've never been frightened to run 3-year-olds in this race and nor for that matter in the King George.”

Helping Mishriff reach the heights he has enjoyed this year has been his growing bond with jockey David Egan, whom Gosden offered plenty of praise for.

He said: “He (David) has ridden him very well and he knows the horse well. He pops up on him not long before races.

“We have Ben (De Pavia) here who rides him all the time in his work and every day in his exercise. David is a classy guy, a good rider a good horseman and he is bright and very intelligent with it.”

Since claiming the Coral-Eclipse for the first time with Nathaniel in 2012 the Newmarket handler has won the race on three further occasions with Golden Horn, who followed up his Derby success at Epsom Downs in the 2015 renewal, Roaring Lion (2018) and Enable (2019).

Although Mishriff has yet to prove himself domestically at the highest level, Gosden feels he is the right type of horse to join his previous winners on the race's outstanding roll of honor.

He added: “Roaring Lion was a 3-year-old when he won it and so was Golden Horn so they took advantage of the weights. Enable was coming back off after a long layoff and she had her old friend Magical with her, then last year she ran against Ghaiyyath (finishing second).

“To that extent it is always demanding but he is a lovely horse and he fits in with that type we have been fortunate to have. We are happy with him going in but I'm perfectly aware of the task in hand. He is a very game honest horse that wears his heart on his sleeve.

“We are hoping for a good race and for the purists it is the sort of thing they enjoy but you will probably find the outsider El Drama will come and do the lot of them.”

The post Coral-Eclipse: Globetrotting Star Mishriff ‘Needs To Do It In The UK’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Eclipse Whittled Down To Four

Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown has been cut to four after Thursday's confirmation stage, with Aidan O'Brien declaring just St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) from his three initial entries left in earlier this week. With David Menuisier also opting to wait with Christopher Wright's Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), that means that Ballydoyle's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero faces two main rivals in the multiple Group 1 winners Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) and Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) plus the Jockey Club also-ran El Drama (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). John Gosden said he thinks that the small field stands up in terms of quality as he prepares Prince Faisal's homebred for a potential third top-level success having garnered last year's Prix du Jockey Club and the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan on his last start Mar. 27, as well as the Saudi Cup.

“I know it is a small, elite, purist field but what people have to realise is that it is a lot of money to enter these races, it is a lot of money at the first forfeit stage and it is a lot of money to confirm,” he said. “When you have the likes of the front three here, they are not easy to take on so I think people slightly take that view point.”

“I've got tonnes of respect for Addeyyb,” Gosden added. “I think he is a wonderful horse. He has won a Champion S. and he has won in Sydney. There is talk about some rain on Saturday afternoon and if the rain came, that is something Addeyyb would enjoy immensely.”

Tom Marquand is keeping an eye on the weather ahead of Addeybb's European return and said, “As we know, Addeybb is entirely ground-dependent and any more rain will help, but provided it's suitable for him to run then he ought to have every chance. It's a small field, but it's good horses against good horses and that's just what you want in a race like the Eclipse.”

The post Eclipse Whittled Down To Four appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Mishriff Tops Expected Field Of Seven For Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse Stakes

Seven horses will go forward for the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park on Saturday, July 3. The 10-furlong Group 1 showpiece takes place over 10 furlongs, forms part of the British Champions Series, and is the first major contest where those from the Classic generation take on their older counterparts.

Heading the market at 13-8 with sponsor Coral is Mishriff for John and Thady Gosden. The 4-year-old has already bagged two very valuable prices overseas this year with victories in the word's most valuable race, the Saudi Cup, and the Group One Dubai Sheema Classic.

Aidan O'Brien has trained five Coral-Eclipse winners and needs one more victory to equal the record of Alec Taylor Jr and Sir Michael Stoute. O'Brien has three horses going forward headed by St Mark's Basilica. The 3-year-old Siyouni colt is a dual Classic winner in France this season, having scooped the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas) and Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) so far in 2021. The Ballydoyle trio is completed by 2019 Juddmonte International hero Japan and Armory, who was a close third behind stable companion Love in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Also going forward are last year's Group 1 QIPCO Champion Stakes hero Addeybb, last seen when landing the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick, Australia in April, and Wonderful Tonight, who was the very impressive winner of the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot on her seasonal reappearance. If successful, 7-year-old Addeybb would create history by becoming the oldest ever winner.

The confirmations are completed by El Drama, a disappointment behind St Mark's Basilica last time but previously a cozy winner of the Listed Dee Stakes at Chester.

David Stevens of Coral said: “In the absence of Lord North, who had been backed into 6-1 for Saturday's race, this year's Coral-Eclipse market is dominated by the last two winners of the Prix du Jockey Club, with the year-older Mishriff just shading favoritism at 13-8, ahead of this year's Chantilly winner, St Mark's Basilica, at 7-4.

“Of the rest, both Addeybb and Wonderful Tonight could both shorten in the betting should plenty of rain fall over Sandown this week.”

The post Mishriff Tops Expected Field Of Seven For Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights