Mishriff tops seven seeking Eclipse honours

Sandown feature draws select field.

John and Thady Gosden’s Mishriff heads a small but select list of seven contenders for Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.

The four-year-old is already a Group One winner in France and Dubai and will be aiming to win at the highest level for the first time on home soil.

He has also won the Saudi Cup on dirt, beating some specialist American challengers to prove his versatility.

St Mark's Basilica is dual Classic winner in France this term
St Mark’s Basilica is dual Classic winner in France this term (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Aidan O’Brien is likely to field the main opposition with three of the seven hailing from Ballydoyle.

He can choose from French 2000 Guineas and Derby winner St Mark’s Basilica, who will be tackling older horses for the first time, Armory, who was third to stablemate Love at Royal Ascot and Japan, who took third behind Ghaiyyath in this race last year.

William Haggas will be hoping it rains during the week to enable him to run the soft-ground lover Addeybb.

Addeybb could go for gold at Sandown
Addeybb could go for gold at Sandown (Mike Egerton/PA)

While the gelding may be seven years old now, he showed he is as good as ever when once again winning a Group One in Australia in April.

David Menuisier enjoyed one of the finest days of his career when Wonderful Tonight won the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot. She remains in the mix but would be dropping in trip and requires ease in the ground.

Roger Varian’s El Drama completes the possibles. The Dee Stakes winner finished only 15th behind St Mark’s Basilica in the Prix du Jockey Club.

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