The Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park is one of the most prestigious middle-distance races in Europe.
The Coral Eclipse takes place on Saturday 8th July 2023.
It often features a clash of the generations with top three-year-olds taking on their elders for the first time.
Notable Eclipse winners include Mill Reef (1971), Brigadier Gerard (1972), Dancing Brave (1986), Sea The Stars (2009) and Enable (2019).
Contents
- 1 Coral Eclipse Group 1 – The Race Overview
- 2 Famous Coral Eclipse Winners & Coral Eclipse History
- 3 Key Coral Eclipse Trials
- 4 Coral-Eclipse 2023 Odds
- 5 Coral-Eclipse Tips
- 6 Coral-Eclipse Previous Winners
- 7 Coral-Eclipse Previous Result
- 8 Coral-Eclipse Betting Trends
- 9 Coral-Eclipse Stats
- 10 Top Trainers and Jockeys
- 11 Popular Questions
- 12 Betting on the Coral Eclipse 2023
- 13 Summary
- 14 Related July Articles
- 15 Resources
Coral Eclipse Group 1 – The Race Overview
The Eclipse takes place in early July over ten furlongs (officially 1m 1f 209y).
Sandown Park is a right-hand track with an uphill finish which can test a horse’s stamina, particularly in fast-run races. It can be difficult to make up a lot of ground here and horses that race prominently have a good record in this race.
Famous Coral Eclipse Winners & Coral Eclipse History
The Group 1 Eclipse Stakes is named after a racehorse who retired undefeated after 18 races in the eighteenth Century. He went on to become one of the most influential stallions in the history of horse racing.
The Eclipse Stakes was launched as Britain’s richest ever race in 1886 with victory going to Bendigo.
Ayrshire became the first Derby winner to win the Eclipse in 1889 and it has consistently attracted top quality fields. Coral took over sponsorship of the race in 1976, making it the longest-running sponsored Pattern race in Britain.
There have been five dual winners of the Eclipse Stakes. Mtoto won in 1987 and 1988 with Halling being the most recent to record back-to-back Eclipse victories in 1995 and 1996. Enable attempted to add her name to the list in 2020 but was denied a second success by the front-running Ghaiyyath. The winner provided a sixth victory for Godolphin, the most successful owners in the history of the race.
The Eclipse rivals the Irish Derby as the next objective for Epsom Derby winners. A Grade 1 victory over ten furlongs is attractive to the breeding industry and Nashwan (1989), Sea The Stars (2009) and Golden Horn (2015) all dropped back in distance to win this race.
Derby winners beaten here include Erhaab (1994), Benny The Dip (1997), Motivator (2005) and Authorized (2007).
Key Coral Eclipse Trials
The Eclipse Stakes betting market is often dominated by Classic colts from the Derby and 2000 Guineas.
As well as often attracting the Derby winner, colts that did not stay a mile and a half at Epsom frequently run here. Roaring Lion (2018) was a classic example of this, not quite able to stay the Derby distance but proving to be a champion at this trip.
Hawk Wing (2002) had been beaten by stable companion High Chaparral in the Epsom Classic before winning here.
2005 winner Oratorio also ran in the Derby and finished only tenth behind Motivator. He caused an upset by reversing the form in the Eclipse.
Top races at Royal Ascot also provide clues to the outcome of the Coral Eclipse. The Queen Anne Stakes and the Prince of Wales’s Stakes feature in the key trials.
Coral-Eclipse 2023 Odds
The odds for the Coral-Eclipse are listed below:
Coral-Eclipse Tips
Our tips for the Coral-Eclipse are below:
- 2 points to win for TBC at odds of TBC
- 1 point each way for TBC at odds of TBC
For racing suggestions on more races at the Sandown Park, check out our tips guide.
Our greatest horse racing tipsters provide free race advice for today for all Sandown racing events!
Coral-Eclipse Previous Winners
Check out the previous winners below:
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1886 | Bendigo | 6 | Tom Cannon Sr. | Charles Jousiffe | H. T. Barclay | 2:12.4 |
| 1888 | Orbit | 3 | Tom Cannon Sr. | John Porter | 1st Duke of Westminster | 2:14.0 |
| 1889 | Ayrshire | 4 | Fred Barrett | George Dawson | 6th Duke of Portland | 2:14.0 |
| 1891 | Surefoot | 4 | John Liddiard | Garrret Moore | A W Merry | 2:15.0 |
| 1892 | Orme | 3 | George Barrett | John Porter | 1st Duke of Westminster | 2:15.0 |
| 1893 | Orme | 4 | Morny Cannon | John Porter | 1st Duke of Westminster | 2:11.8 |
| 1894 | Isinglass | 4 | Tommy Loates | James Jewitt | Harry McCalmont | – |
| 1895 | Le Justicier | 3 | T French | W Webb | Baron Arthur de Schickler | – |
| 1896 | St. Frusquin | 3 | Tommy Loates | Alfred Hayhoe | Leopold de Rothschild | – |
| 1897 | Persimmon | 4 | John Watts | Richard Marsh | Prince of Wales | – |
| 1898 | Velasquez | 4 | Charles Wood | W Walters | 5th Earl of Rosebery | – |
| 1899 | Flying Fox | 3 | Morny Cannon | John Porter | 1st Duke of Westminster | – |
| 1900 | Diamond Jubilee | 3 | Herbert Jones | Richard Marsh | Prince of Wales | – |
| 1901 | Epsom Lad | 4 | Santiago Gomez | Luis Alvarez | James Buchanan | – |
| 1902 | Cheers | 3 | Danny Maher | Weston Goodwin | 8th Duke of Devonshire | – |
| 1903 | Ard Patrick | 4 | Otto Madden | Sam Darling | John Gubbins | – |
| 1904 | Darley Dale | 3 | Danny Maher | John Porter | 6th Duke of Portland | – |
| 1905 | Val d'Or | 3 | George Stern | Robert Denman | Edmond Blanc | 2:09.8 |
| 1906 | Llangibby | 4 | Danny Maher | Peter Gilpin | Ludwig Neumann | – |
| 1907 | Lally | 4 | Bernard Dillon | Tom Lewis | William Purefoy | – |
| 1908 | Your Majesty | 3 | Walter Griggs | Charles Morton | Jack Barnato Joel | – |
| 1909 | Bayardo | 3 | Danny Maher | Alec Taylor Jr. | Alfred W. Cox | – |
| 1910(dh) | LembergNeil Gow | 33 | Bernard DillonDanny Maher | Alec Taylor Jr.Percy Peck | Alfred W. Cox5th Earl of Rosebery | – |
| 1911 | Swynford | 4 | Frank Wootton | George Lambton | 17th Earl of Derby | – |
| 1912 | Prince Palatine | 4 | Frank O'Neill | Henry Beardsley | Thomas Pilkington | – |
| 1913 | Tracery | 4 | Albert Whalley | John Watson | August Belmont Jr. | – |
| 1914 | Hapsburg | 3 | Cornelius Foy | William Halsey | Sir Ernest Cassel | – |
| 1919 | Buchan | 3 | Joe Childs | Alec Taylor Jr. | Waldorf Astor | – |
| 1920 | Buchan | 4 | Frank Bullock | Alec Taylor Jr. | 2nd Viscount Astor | – |
| 1921 | Craig an Eran | 3 | Frank Bullock | Alec Taylor Jr. | 2nd Viscount Astor | – |
| 1922 | Golden Myth | 4 | Charlie Elliott | Jack Jarvis | Sir George Bullough | – |
| 1923 | Saltash | 3 | Jack Brennan | Alec Taylor Jr. | 2nd Viscount Astor | – |
| 1924 | Polyphontes | 3 | William McLachlan | Etienne L. de Mestre | Solomon Joel | – |
| 1925 | Polyphontes | 4 | Harry Wragg | Walter Earl | Solomon Joel | – |
| 1926 | Coronach | 3 | Joe Childs | Fred Darling | 1st Baron Woolavington | – |
| 1927 | Colorado | 4 | Tommy Weston | Frank Butters | 17th Earl of Derby | – |
| 1928 | Fairway | 3 | Tommy Weston | Frank Butters | 17th Earl of Derby | – |
| 1929 | Royal Minstrel | 4 | Joe Childs | Cecil Boyd-Rochfort | John Hay Whitney | – |
| 1930 | Rustom Pasha | 3 | Harry Wragg | Dick Dawson | Aga Khan III | – |
| 1931 | Caerleon | 4 | Tommy Weston | George Lambton | 17th Earl of Derby | – |
| 1932 | Miracle | 3 | Harry Wragg | Jack Jarvis | 6th Earl of Rosebery | – |
| 1933 | Loaningdale | 4 | Joe Childs | Cecil Boyd-Rochfort | Guy Wilson | – |
| 1934 | King Salmon | 4 | Harry Wragg | Ossie Bell | Richard Brooke | – |
| 1935 | Windsor Lad | 4 | Charlie Smirke | Marcus Marsh | Martin Benson | – |
| 1936 | Rhodes Scholar | 4 | Bobby Dick | Joe Lawson | 2nd Viscount Astor | – |
| 1937 | Boswell | 4 | Pat Beasley | Cecil Boyd-Rochfort | William Woodward Sr. | – |
| 1938 | Pasch | 3 | Gordon Richards | Fred Darling | Henry Morriss | – |
| 1939 | Blue Peter | 3 | Eph Smith | Jack Jarvis | 6th Earl of Rosebery | – |
| 1946 | Gulf Stream | 3 | Harry Wragg | Walter Earl | 17th Earl of Derby | – |
| 1947 | Migoli | 3 | Charlie Smirke | Frank Butters | Aga Khan III | – |
| 1948 | Petition | 4 | Ken Gethin | Frank Butters | Sir Alfred Butt | – |
| 1949 | Djeddah | 4 | Charlie Elliott | Charles Semblat | Marcel Boussac | – |
| 1950 | Flocon | 4 | Freddie Palmer | Percy Carter | Geoffroy de Waldner | – |
| 1951 | Mystery | 3 | Lester Piggott | Percy Carter | Mme Edward Esmond | – |
| 1952 | Tulyar | 3 | Charlie Smirke | Marcus Marsh | Aga Khan III | – |
| 1953 | Argur | 4 | Charlie Elliott | J. Glynn | Marcel Boussac | – |
| 1954 | King of the Tudors | 4 | Ken Gethin | Willie Stephenson | Frank Dennis | – |
| 1955 | Darius | 4 | Lester Piggott | Harry Wragg | Sir Percy Loraine | – |
| 1956 | Tropique | 4 | Paul Blanc | Geoff Watson | Guy de Rothschild | – |
| 1957 | Arctic Explorer | 3 | Lester Piggott | Noel Murless | Giles Loder | – |
| 1958 | Ballymoss | 4 | Scobie Breasley | Vincent O'Brien | John McShain | – |
| 1959 | Saint Crespin | 3 | George Moore | Alec Head | Prince Aly Khan | – |
| 1960 | Javelot | 4 | Freddie Palmer | Percy Carter | Geoffroy de Waldner | 2:14.80 |
| 1961 | St Paddy | 4 | Lester Piggott | Noel Murless | Sir Victor Sassoon | 2:06.50 |
| 1962 | Henry the Seventh | 4 | Edward Hide | Bill Elsey | Jim Joel | 2:07.40 |
| 1963 | Khalkis | 3 | Garnie Bougoure | Paddy Prendergast | Viscount Elveden | 2:10.60 |
| 1964 | Ragusa | 4 | Garnie Bougoure | Paddy Prendergast | Jim Mullion | 2:07.40 |
| 1965 | Canisbay | 4 | Stan Clayton | Cecil Boyd-Rochfort | Queen Elizabeth II | 2:07.30 |
| 1966 | Pieces of Eight | 3 | Lester Piggott | Vincent O'Brien | Countess de la Valdène | 2:08.90 |
| 1967 | Busted | 4 | Bill Rickaby | Noel Murless | Stanhope Joel | 2:07.70 |
| 1968 | Royal Palace | 4 | Sandy Barclay | Noel Murless | Jim Joel | 2:07.50 |
| 1969 | Wolver Hollow | 5 | Lester Piggott | Henry Cecil | Hope Goddard Iselin | 2:11.80 |
| 1970 | Connaught | 5 | Sandy Barclay | Noel Murless | Jim Joel | 2:06.00 |
| 1971 | Mill Reef | 3 | Geoff Lewis | Ian Balding | Paul Mellon | 2:05.40 |
| 1972 | Brigadier Gerard | 4 | Joe Mercer | Dick Hern | Jean Hislop | 2:20.20 |
| 1973 | Scottish Rifle [a] | 4 | Ron Hutchinson | John Dunlop | Sandy Struthers | 2:12.39 |
| 1974 | Coup de Feu | 5 | Pat Eddery | Duncan Sasse | Tim Sasse | 2:08.86 |
| 1975 | Star Appeal | 5 | Greville Starkey | Theo Grieper | Waldemar Zeitelhack | 2:06.10 |
| 1976 | Wollow [b] | 3 | Gianfranco Dettori | Henry Cecil | Carlo d'Alessio | 2:05.42 |
| 1977 | Artaius | 3 | Lester Piggott | Vincent O'Brien | Mrs George Getty II | 2:05.30 |
| 1978 | Gunner B | 5 | Joe Mercer | Henry Cecil | Pauline Barratt | 2:05.05 |
| 1979 | Dickens Hill | 3 | Tony Murray | Mick O'Toole | Mrs Jean-Pierre Binet | 2:06.17 |
| 1980 | Ela-Mana-Mou | 4 | Willie Carson | Dick Hern | Simon Weinstock | 2:10.20 |
| 1981 | Master Willie | 4 | Philip Waldron | Henry Candy | Robert Barnett | 2:07.44 |
| 1982 | Kalaglow | 4 | Greville Starkey | Guy Harwood | Tony Ward | 2:08.83 |
| 1983 | Solford | 3 | Pat Eddery | Vincent O'Brien | Robert Sangster | 2:06.36 |
| 1984 | Sadler's Wells | 3 | Pat Eddery | Vincent O'Brien | Robert Sangster | 2:04.53 |
| 1985 | Pebbles | 4 | Steve Cauthen | Clive Brittain | Sheikh Mohammed | 2:07.33 |
| 1986 | Dancing Brave | 3 | Greville Starkey | Guy Harwood | Khalid Abdullah | 2:06.18 |
| 1987 | Mtoto | 4 | Michael Roberts | Alec Stewart | Ahmed Al Maktoum | 2:04.33 |
| 1988 | Mtoto | 5 | Michael Roberts | Alec Stewart | Ahmed Al Maktoum | 2:06.14 |
| 1989 | Nashwan | 3 | Willie Carson | Dick Hern | Hamdan Al Maktoum | 2:07.38 |
| 1990 | Elmaamul | 3 | Willie Carson | Dick Hern | Hamdan Al Maktoum | 2:04.63 |
| 1991 | Environment Friend | 3 | George Duffield | James Fanshawe | Bill Gredley | 2:07.61 |
| 1992 | Kooyonga | 4 | Warren O'Connor | Michael Kauntze | Mitsuo Haga | 2:10.83 |
| 1993 | Opera House | 5 | Michael Kinane | Michael Stoute | Sheikh Mohammed | 2:06.25 |
| 1994 | Ezzoud | 5 | Walter Swinburn | Michael Stoute | Maktoum Al Maktoum | 2:04.70 |
| 1995 | Halling | 4 | Walter Swinburn | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin | 2:05.32 |
| 1996 | Halling | 5 | John Reid | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin | 2:08.05 |
| 1997 | Pilsudski | 5 | Michael Kinane | Michael Stoute | Lord Weinstock | 2:12.51 |
| 1998 | Daylami | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin | 2:06.82 |
| 1999 | Compton Admiral | 3 | Darryll Holland | Gerard Butler | Erik Penser | 2:06.42 |
| 2000 | Giant's Causeway | 3 | George Duffield | Aidan O'Brien | Magnier / Tabor | 2:05.32 |
| 2001 | Medicean | 4 | Kieren Fallon | Sir Michael Stoute | Cheveley Park Stud | 2:04.65 |
| 2002 | Hawk Wing | 3 | Michael Kinane | Aidan O'Brien | Sue Magnier | 2:13.34 |
| 2003 | Falbrav | 5 | Darryll Holland | Luca Cumani | Rencati / Yoshida | 2:05.59 |
| 2004 | Refuse to Bend | 4 | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin | 2:08.31 |
| 2005 | Oratorio | 3 | Kieren Fallon | Aidan O'Brien | Magnier / Tabor | 2:07.00 |
| 2006 | David Junior | 4 | Jamie Spencer | Brian Meehan | Roldvale Ltd | 2:07.31 |
| 2007 | Notnowcato | 5 | Ryan Moore | Sir Michael Stoute | A. & D. de Rothschild | 2:05.85 |
| 2008 | Mount Nelson | 4 | Johnny Murtagh | Aidan O'Brien | Smith / Magnier / Tabor | 2:05.56 |
| 2009 | Sea the Stars | 3 | Michael Kinane | John Oxx | Christopher Tsui | 2:03.40 |
| 2010 | Twice Over | 5 | Tom Queally | Henry Cecil | Khalid Abdullah | 2:04.64 |
| 2011 | So You Think | 5 | Seamie Heffernan | Aidan O'Brien | Derrick Smith et al. | 2:04.77 |
| 2012 | Nathaniel | 4 | William Buick | John Gosden | Lady Rothschild | 2:06.94 |
| 2013 | Al Kazeem | 5 | James Doyle | Roger Charlton | John Deer | 2:04.35 |
| 2014 | Mukhadram | 5 | Paul Hanagan | William Haggas | Hamdan Al Maktoum | 2:04.47 |
| 2015 | Golden Horn | 3 | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden | Anthony Oppenheimer | 2:05.77 |
| 2016 | Hawkbill | 3 | William Buick | Charlie Appleby | Godolphin | 2:10.71 |
| 2017 | Ulysses | 4 | Jim Crowley | Sir Michael Stoute | Flaxman Stables | 2:03.49 |
| 2018 | Roaring Lion | 3 | Oisin Murphy | John Gosden | Qatar Racing | 2:04.04 |
| 2019 | Enable | 5 | Frankie Dettori | John Gosden | Khalid Abdullah | 2:04.77 |
| 2020 | Ghaiyyath[c] | 5 | William Buick | Charlie Appleby | Godolphin | 2:04.48 |
| 2021 | St Mark's Basilica | 3 | Ryan Moore | Aidan O'Brien | Smith / Magnier / Tabor | 2:10.87 |
| 2022 | Vadeni | 3 | Christophe Soumillon | Jean-Claude Rouget | Aga Khan IV | 2:05.20 |
| 2023 | Paddington | 3 | Ryan Moore | Aidan O'Brien | Tabor / Smith / Magnier et al. | 2:05.16 |
Coral-Eclipse Previous Result
Check out this result from the Sandown Racecourse:
Coral-Eclipse Betting Trends
Favourites have a good record in the Eclipse, winning five of the last ten renewals.
So You Think (2011), Golden Horn (2015) and Enable (2019) all started odds-on favourite.
Al Kazeem (2013) and Roaring Lion (2018) were also heavily-backed market leaders.
Most recent winners have returned in single figures with Mukhadram (14-1) providing the only real surprise in 2014. He had finished an unlucky fourth behind The Fugue in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot but turned that form around at Sandown.
Coral-Eclipse Stats
- Previous winning form at Group 1 level is often a pre-requisite for the Eclipse.
- Most winners had an official rating of 119 or higher and arrived at Sandown fit from a recent race.
- It is extremely difficult to win here after a lengthy absence. Enable overcame at 245-day absence to win in 2019 but was unable to repeat the performance after 273 days in 2020.
- Winning form at ten furlongs or beyond is also an advantage when assessing Coral Eclipse tips. Top milers to suffer defeat here include The Gurkha who was a beaten odds-on favourite in 2016. Rain-softened ground stretched his stamina and he was beaten by Hawkbill before dropping back to a mile to win the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.
- Enable was only the third mare to win the Eclipse after Pebbles (1985) and Kooyonga (1992).
- Top class fillies and mares beaten here include Triptych, Indian Skimmer and Ouija Board.
- Five-year-olds have an excellent Eclipse record but no horse older than five has managed to win since Bendigo in 1886.
Top Trainers and Jockeys
Sir Michael Stoute equalled Alec Taylor Jr’s record of six Eclipse victories when Ulysses won in 2017. His previous winners were Opera House (1993), Ezzoud (1994), Pilsudski (1996), Medicean (2001) and Notnowcato (2007).
Aidan O’Brien has five Eclipse winners to his credit including Giant’s Causeway (2000) and Hawk Wing (2002). His most recent success came with So You Think in 2011.
John Gosden has been the most successful trainer in recent years, scoring with Nathaniel (2012), Golden Horn (2015), Roaring Lion (2018) and Enable (2019).
Lester Piggott won the Eclipse a record seven times, his last coming aboard Artaius in 1977.
Popular Questions
How far is the Coral Eclipse?
The Coral-Eclipse is 1 mile, 1 furlong and 209 yards long.
Betting on the Coral Eclipse 2023
There is always a strong ante-post market on the Eclipse Stakes. It is often the target for some of the highest-rated horses in training.
The market is heavily influenced by events in the Epsom Derby and at Royal Ascot, although you should wait for running plans to be confirmed before placing your Eclipse bets.
The result of the Eclipse will have a big impact on the ante-post betting for the big ten furlong races later in the summer, notably the International Stakes at York and the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. John Gosden trained Roaring Lion to win all three races in 2018.
Summary
The Coral Eclipse is the highlight of the flat racing season at Sandown. It is always a high-quality event.
The roll of honour is littered with many star names of the turf and it is always an exciting betting race. The form usually holds up well and can be followed with confidence for the rest of the season.
