This weekend (12.50am Sunday, Australian time) at Sandown Park, England the 2013 Eclipse Stakes takes place. Run over at distance of 2000m its open to all thoroughbreds three years and older.
The race was first run in 1886 and is named after the celebrated 18th century horse.
Eclipse would go on to be a very important sire, nearly all current thoroughbreds can trace their line back to him.
It’s the first European Group 1 of the year where the classic generation of three year olds take on the older horses.
Unfortunately the classic generation challenge looks tame this year with only the Aidan O’Brien trained Mars stepping up.
He hasn’t had much luck in running in his last two starts at Royal Ascot and the Epsom Derby but this horse is running out of excuses and I don’t expect him to win this.
It seems favourite Al Kazeem has done nothing wrong so far this season with Group 1 wins in the Tattersall Cup and the Price of Wales Stakes.
I’m going to question the quality of form of these races. In the Prince of Wales, Al Kazeem made hard work of wearing 2nd horse Mukhadram down to win, this horse has yet to win a Group 1.
The Fugue was third that day, but trainer John Gosden hinted she would need the run so I would expect a better display today. She’s a consistent sort who’ll be up there to challenge at the end.
Prix Ganay winner Pastorius came no where in his last start in Singapore although connections claim he was affected by the humid weather so maybe he can be excused that last run.
In last years Champion stakes he finished 7 lengths behind Frankel so his performance in this race will be a good gauge for the quality of the other horses.
Declaration of War steps up in distance here and there’s also a query regarding how good his Queen Anne win was.
Despite this I don’t believe this to be a classic renewal of the Eclipse and I predict Declaration of War to improve from his last run with Al Kazeem and The Fugue behind him.
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