Saturday’s Group 1 Coral-Eclipse card at Sandown proved very fruitful from the perspective of Irish-breds with all four black-type races on the programme going their way as the main event served up a genuine thriller.

When ULYSSES (IRE) crossed the line in the Eclipse locked together with St James’ Palace Stakes winner Barney Roy, it was inconclusive as to which horse had prevailed. Moments later the numbers were called and the stewards’ photo print displayed the tiniest margin in favour of Sir Michael Stoute’s four-year-old, owned and bred by Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd, an arm of the racing and breeding operation bequeathed by the late Stavros Niarchos.

The market suggested that were Galileo (IRE), the pre-eminent sire of our times, to have another major success in the Eclipse, that honour would fall to Cliffs Of Moher (IRE), the Epsom Derby runner-up. The latter, alas, met with severe interference during the first half of the contest and was lucky to stay on his feet. Instead it was left to ULYSSES (IRE) to keep the name of Galileo (IRE) in lights and as the tempo quickened in the straight, he was travelling noticeably well under Jim Crowley. Pretty soon he and Barney Roy settled down for a private battle and the pair pulled three-and-a-half-lengths clear of the unfancied third home, Desert Encounter (IRE).

ULYSSES (IRE) certainly has the bloodlines to be a champion as he is the last foal out of Epsom Oaks heroine Light Shift who carried the same colours. His trainer later said all options are open with races such as the Juddmonte International, Irish Champion Stakes and the Arc viable targets in the second half of the season.

BATTAASH (IRE) is another that appears worthy of fancy entries in the not-too-distant future judged on a comprehensive routing of his rivals in the Group 3 Coral Charge over five furlongs. The track pattern in the straight races during Sandown’s two days last weekend suggested it paid to race near the far rail, but even allowing for his low draw the blistering early pace of BATTAASH (IRE) had a good field stretched well before halfway. He won unopposed by nearly four lengths.

The form of his previous win in a Listed event was boosted a week prior when the second in that race, Koropick (IRE), collected a Group 3 at Newcastle. It appears BATTAASH (IRE) will step in grade next in the Group 2 Qatar King George Stake, for three-year-olds and up over five furlongs at Goodwood on August 4th. The Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York is another potential date three weeks later. Bred by Paul McCartan’s Ballyphilip Stud in County Limerick, BATTAASH (IRE) is a son of Yeomanstown Stud’s Dark Angel (IRE). He is also the first Pattern winner for Lawman (IRE) as a broodmare sire being out of Anna Law (IRE) who, though well related, retired to the broodmare band rated just 45 after four well-beaten starts as a juvenile.

The Coral Distaff was notable for a first black-type victory in the colours of King Power Racing Co Ltd, the same Thai owners as last year’s English Premier League champions Leicester City, as TISBUTADREAM (IRE) made virtually all under Silvestre de Sousa. The result was a nice boost for Goffs as the three-year-old filly bred by John Tuthill fetched €100,000 at the Orby Sale. TISBUTADREAM (IRE) is a half-sister to Persuasive (IRE), the Dark Angel (IRE) filly also bred by Tuthill to land the Listed Sandringham Handicap at Royal Ascot last years before placing second in the Group 1 Matron Stakes.

NEARLY CAUGHT (IRE) was the fourth act of the Irish-bred quartet to win big on the day as he stayed on best of all to win the Coral Marathon. He was bred by the Irish National Stud and made €35,000 at the Goffs Orby Sale in 2011. He has since won almost €300,000 in stakes, including being placed in a Group 1 and winning Group 2 and Listed events in France last summer. He is a half-brother to four other winners, most notably the Group 1 placed Pale Mimosa (IRE), also a Group 2 winner himself.