SAHorseracing.com
SAHorseracing.com
ECLIPSE GP. 1: DREAM TO CONTINUE

Fresh from a Royal Ascot to remember, Clive Cox and Adam Kirby will be heading to Sandown this weekend looking for more Group One glory courtesy of My Dream Boat in the Coral-Eclipse.

A top-level double came their way through Profitable in the King's Stand and My Dream Boat in the Prince of Wales's Stakes.

There is only 17 days between the two races for the latter, and that is Cox's only slight concern going into a race that traditionally is one of the highlights of the season.

Sandown was waterlogged last week and that looked like ruling most of the leading contenders out, but a relatively dry weekend means a bigger field than possibly could have been expected should line up.

"I'm not surprised there's a few more in than at one stage looked likely," said Cox.

"I couldn't be more pleased with ours since Ascot. Everything has gone smoothly, it will only be two weeks since the Prince of Wales's but we gave him a quiet week last week and he seems in really good form still.

"He'll have his conditions, there is rain forecast, he's a course and distance winner and we're confident about him staying the trip on the ground.

"The only thing that is not in his favour is that Ascot was not that long ago."

Two supplementary entries were received to leave 11 potential runners.

Godolphin have added Royal Ascot winner Hawkbill to the race, while Roger Charlton also put in Countermeasure. His presence is to ensure a strong pace for his stablemate Time Test, one-time ante-post favourite for the race and set to run as long as conditions are suitable.

Aidan O'Brien is strongly represented. Dante Stakes runner-up Deauville skipped the Irish Derby in favour of this, but the Ballydoyle trainer has stated he would not be at home on soft ground.

French 2000 Guineas winner The Gurkha, second in the St James's Palace Stakes, could step up to 10 furlongs for the first time and has emerged as O'Brien's number one contender, taking over at the head of the markets. Cougar Mountain, Bravery and Long Island Sound are the other Ballydoyle possibles.

Charlie Appleby's Hawkbill will head to the Esher venue on the crest of a wave having won each of his last five starts.

The most recent of those wins came in the Tercentenary Stakes - won last year by Time Test - and connections feel he is ready to step up to the highest level.

John Ferguson, Godolphin's chief executive and racing manager, said: "Charlie is very happy with how Hawkbill has been training since Ascot. He is taking a step up, but we feel he deserves to take his chance."

Godolphin last won the Eclipse in 2004 with Refuse To Bend.

Completing the list is John Gosden's Sandown regular Western Hymn and Sir Michael Stoute's Exosphere, disappointing in the Hardwicke last time out.

While the ground is drying out, clerk of the course Andrew Cooper is expecting a wet spell midweek.

"It's due to be unsettled midweek, we're due to stay dry until mid-Tuesday afternoon and then for the next 48 hours we are forecast at least two, possibly three, bands of rain where we could get between 10-20mm," said Cooper, who was able to change the official description to good to soft, soft in places by Monday afternoon.

"It is then due to dry up Friday into Saturday, but by then we could be back to predominantly soft ground."

The sponsors make The Gurkha their 6-4 favourite over My Dream Boat at 3-1.

"The Gurkha was well backed prior to the latest entry stage, shortening from 100-30 to 9-4 at the head of the betting, and with Fascinating Rock not standing his ground, and conditions putting Time Test's participation in doubt, Aidan O'Brien's charge is now a warm order for the 41st renewal of our flagship Flat race sponsorship," said Coral's David Stevens. BHA

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