The Eclipse Group 1 at Sandown is a race which has a great history and is the first opportunity to gauge how the current generation measure up against their elders, which this year sees the Derby winner City Of Troy Unibet 3/10 on for the Aidan 0’Brien team.

The draw here is having a Derby winner making this appearance not only from the Aidan O’ Brien team but trying to do the double too. In many cases runners head from the Derby to the Irish Derby or the King George, with winners of the Epsom classic not guaranteed success at Sandown with the likes of Authorised, Reference Point and Sir Ivor failing to complete the double, though Sea The Stars and Golden Horn are part of an elite group who have achieved this.

The challenge of the older generation to City Of Troy is not as strong as anticipated with White Birch importantly not being declared and it is hard to oppose City Of Troy on that basis, as he is ahead of his contemporaries Dancing Gemini and Ghostwriter too. City Of Troy looked so impressive at Epsom and coming back down in trip will not be a hindrance to success at the Esher course.

Enjoy whether at Sandown or watching #athome on ITV Racing or Racing TV.

See you there!

Cheers,

The Wine Tipster

1:50 Sandown – Charge Group 3 (5f) 

(Unibet are paying Money Back as Cash if your selection finishes 2nd or 3rd in this race).

Desperate Hero can make the step up from handicap company and score his first group success. He beat King’s Lynn on his penultimate appearance by a neck at Goodwood and then produced such a visually impressive performance at Hamilton when storming clear to win a Class 2 handicap by 4½ lengths beating American Affair on importantly good ground (last 4 starts on heavy). The handicapper raised him from a mark of 91 to 104 and the depth of the field he beat has been highlighted since with numerous winners and seconds. Desperate Hero is drawn in stall 4, the same as the 2023 winner Equality, who is in the line up once again and with good ground assured Desperate Hero has a strong chance.

Unibet 4/1 win 

Apollo One a regular in my Unibet blog has been placed in seven of his last eight starts and has each way claims once again. Apollo One was declared a non-runner on race day for the Wokingham at Royal Ascot in a race he was runner-up in last season, having run well on his two appearances in 2024. This is only his third career appearance over five furlongs with a third in the Listed Beverley Bullet last season showing he has the ability to run in this company. Importantly, this stiff five furlongs looks sure to be in his favour as does the draw in stall 6.

Unibet 11/1 each way

2:05 Haydock – Handicap (1m 6f)

Dramatic Star (nap) had caught the eye at Nottingham when he did everything wrong pre-race but still ran a cracker to run Theory Of Tides (who won again next time) to half a length, doing some good late work. At Hamilton last time he looked in a spot of trouble two furlongs out but showed that stamina was his long suit, coming right away up the hill to win by an easy 2¼ lengths, still looking green and far from the finished article.

Stepping up to 1m6f here is going to suit, and you can expect another big step forward here on handicap debut to win this before a possible crack at something like the Melrose at the Ebor meeting.

Unibet 3/1 win   

2:25 Sandown – Challenge Handicap (1m)

Dual Identity is probably getting to the top end of his mark, but he loves Sandown and after winning here two starts back, ran every bit as well in defeat here last time, only denied by half a length by Two Tempting. There’s little to choose between the two today and the rain due at Sandown on Friday will suit the pair of them, but William Knight continues to bang the winners in, and Dual Identity should go close again.

Unibet 15/2 each way   

3:15 Haydock – Old Newton Cup Handicap (1m 6f)

Sheradann is having his first start for lan Williams since joining the yard from Francis-Henri Graffard. Sheradann won his final three starts in 2023, with the last two victories over trips very similar to the Newton Cup and his dam Shemima is strong on stamina having won at Group level over 1m 7f. He is an intriguing runner and is worth an each way play.

Unibet 18/1 each way

3.35 Sandown – Eclipse Group 1 (1m 2f)

Al Riffa is an interesting runner, who won the Group 1 National Stakes as a two-year-old and then disappointed on seasonal debut as a three-year-old when fourth ahead of a fine second at Deauville to Ace Impact on his only other start in 2023.

This season he was a good fourth on seasonal debut at Longchamp in a blanket finish when beaten half a length by Haya Zarko. The idea of heading to Saratoga for the Manhattan Stakes didn’t work out and that latest performance must be overlooked.

Admittedly everything has to come together here and there is no doubt the talent is there with this four-year-old able to take on the current generation. Therefore, Al Riffa is the each way selection to follow home City Of Troy.

Unibet 14/1 each way

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