The Group I Coral Eclipse Stakes (1m2f) will be run later tonight at Sandown in the UK and it’s a highlight race of the summer racing season in the UK lining up the best three year-olds against the older horses and has special significance in this part of the world given five of the past six winners will stand in Australasia this spring.
Coolmore have a strong hand in the race this year with the favourite being Wootton Bassett colt Constitution River, who comes to the race off a last start win in the Group I Prix du Jockey Club.
He is one of three Wootton Bassett colts in the race for Aidan O’Brien joining Hawk Mountain and Flushing Meadows with Ryan Moore to ride the favourite.
The best hope for an older horse victory appears to lie with Wathnan Racing’s up and comer Gethin, a son of Ghaiyyath (IRE), who is one of the five winners of the Coral Eclipse that is headed to the Southern Hemisphere this spring.
Ghaiyyath won it in 2020 and has since emerged as a quality sire and particularly in Australia where the son of Dubawi is expected back at Darley Victoria this spring at a fee of $88,000 to stand along side his dual G1 winning son Observer.
St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) won the Coral Eclipse in 2021 and he returns to Coolmore Australia this spring at a fee of $38,500 with his first NH bred progeny including dual Group I winning filly Diamond Necklace, while in Australia he has stakes-winner Aristopolos and two more stakes horses from his first crop of current season 2YOs.
Paddington (GB) was the victory in 2023 and is by the same sire as St Mark’s Basilica being a son of Siyouni and he will be headed to Windsor Pak Stud in New Zealand for his third season at a fee of $30,000 with his first yearlings to be offered at Karaka in 2027.
Champion Justify colt City of Troy (USA) bounced out of his Epsom Derby win to take the Coral Eclipse in 2024 and returns to Coolmore Australia at a fee of $49,500 with his first foals arriving this spring.
And so we come to last year, when Dubawi colt Delacroix (IRE) put his name in lights to score a memorable win over Ombudsman to stamp himself as absolutely top class. He is the third Coral Eclipse winner to stands at Coolmore’s Australian headquarters Jerry’s Plains this spring joining St Mark’s Basilica and City of Troy with his fee set at $38,500.
