Mishriff seeking to continue Newmarket's domination of Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown
Newmarket has an incredible recent record in Saturday’s Group 1 Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown and we are expected to extend our domination when the classy MISHRIFF takes his chance.
Remarkably, headquarters has won the last seven runnings of the 1m2f feature, including three from Mishriff’s stable at Clarehaven, from where Golden Horn (2015), Roaring Lion (2018) and Enable (2019) marched to victory in the all-aged encounter.
Unlike some of those stars, Mishriff spent most of last winter in the Middle East, where he won both the Saudi Cup and the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic in a lucrative spell in which he bagged nearly £10m.
Laid out for Saturday’s Group 1 contest ever since, Mishriff has done plenty of work on the Limekilns of late and won’t be ring rusty, despite a three-month absence for John and Thady Gosden’s horse.
The Gosdens and David Egan team up a little later in the afternoon with THIRD KINGDOM, who may well take the beating in the Play Coral Racing Super Series For Free Handicap over a mile.
The three-year-old, who like Mishriff is owned by Prince Faisal, posted a below-par comeback when only fifth on his return at Doncaster in May but has been taking the eye in his recent homework and shouldn’t mind any cut in the ground.
In the finale at Sandown, Hugo Palmer’s OZ LEGEND is back from a gelding operation and could go well at decent odds in the Coral Backing Prostrate Cancer UK Handicap. The four-year-old has run some decent races in defeat this season but worked nicely on the watered gallop on Friday and the Kremlin Cottage team could not be in better nick.
Sir Mark Prescott could be in for a good day up at Haydock on the same day where he has two live chances in the featured events, kicking off with ALPINISTA in the Group 2 bet365 Lancashire Oaks.
The daughter of Frankel has been thwarted by wet weather on a couple of occasions since posting a winning return in a Listed contest at Goodwood in April.
Later at the Merseyside track, the Heath House maestro is expected to strike in the bet365 Old Newton Cup with the lightly-raced LONGSIDER.
The flashy four-year-old was originally being lined up for a crack at last weekend’s Northumberland Plate but Prescott thought he needed another piece of work, hence the delay.
Chelmsford stages one of their most prestigious races of the year on Sunday in the shape of the Listed Queen Charlotte Fillies Stakes, in which DOUBLE OR BUBBLE is fancied to bounce back to form.
The four-year-old may well have run a bit free when stepped up in class and trip in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.
Dropping back to seven furlongs and going around a bend in Essex may see Chris Wall’s filly in a better light.
At Sandown tomorrow, John and Thady Gosden are expected to hit the target when DUKEDOM debuts for the Queen in the Irish Stallions Frams EBF Novice Stakes.
The son of Dubawi is a first foal of Nathra who did well for the Clarehaven team a few years ago, including winning the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes, and has shown up well in his recent work.
Also on the Friday card, RED VERDON is expected to get a welcome change of luck in the Listed Coral Marathon.
Ed Dunlop’s stalwart looked close to a return to the winners enclosure when chasing home Pablo Escobarr in a Listed contest at York last month and should appreciate this stamina test.
Read more: All the latest Suffolk sport news
