TOP 5 - CORAL ECLIPSE WINNERS SINCE THE YEAR 2000

Dafydd Lloyd ranks the Coral Eclipse winners over the past 24 years and gives his top five from the modern era. 5th - AL KAZEEM In July 2013 Al Kazeem started the 15/8 favourite for the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown where he re-opposed with some brilliant horses in their own right, the likes of Mukhadram, The Fugue, Declaration Of War & Pastorius. Officially rated as the highest in the contest the five-year-old trained by Roger Charlton and ridden by James Doyle took the win. In a stellar career he raced from age 2-7 and won many valuable races, ending with a win in his final race in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. Roger Charlton described Al Kazeem as the best horse he had ever trained prior to the Eclipse race he won, and the horse finished with an excellent official rating of 121.

AL KAZEEM

4th - ROARING LION

The 2018 flat season would be a remarkable campaign for the then three-year-old colt Roaring Lion. After finishing 3rd at Epsom in the Derby he contested the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown over ten furlongs, renewing rivalry with Saxon Warrior again. Under the guidance of jockey Oisin Murphy he was sent off the 7/4 favourite against six other quality horses. In the closing stages of the race he moved up on the outside of the straight before engaging in a thrilling battle with his old adversary (Saxon Warrior), just edging out to win by a neck. In his immense three year-old year Roaring Lion would go on to win a further three brilliant Group 1 races at York, Leopardstown and Ascot.

ROARING LION

3rd - SO YOU THINK A champion down-under in Australia, as well as later in Ireland and England, So You Think was switched trainers in March 2011 from Bart Cummings to Aidan O’Brien. He began his career at Ballydoyle in style with victories in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, Eclipse Stakes and Irish Champion Stakes. His Eclipse win beating the Derby (Workforce) and Oaks (Snow Fairy) winners from the previous year was magnificent. Partnered with Seamie Heffernan on-board the odds-on favourite saw off Workforce by half-a-length. He ended his time on track in 2012 with another significant group 1 race win, this time at Royal Ascot in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.

SO YOU THINK

2nd - SEA THE STARS Arguably one of the best middle-distance horses of the modern era, Sea The Stars won his third group 1 in as many months in July 2009 before winning three more group one’s in another three months later that season. It was the turn of the Eclipse Stakes against his elders for the very first time, as well as meeting some very good three-year-olds again. Under Mick Kinane, Sea The Stars always travelled comfortably in midfield and then sauntered into the lead a fair way out, fending off challengers and digging deep to land glory which was a trademark of his races. His three-year-old record is described by many as one of the best in racing.

SEA THE STARS

1st - GIANT’S CAUSEWAY To win an Eclipse Stakes (regarded as the first clash of the three-year-olds versus the older horses), you need to be tough, classy and a champion. Giant’s Causeway was nicknamed the "Iron Horse" due to his toughness and constitution, with his trainer Aidan O’Brien hailing him a “true champion”. He had all the qualities needed to land the Eclipse Stakes in the year 2000 against a deep and strong field for the race. As one of the three very good three-year-olds in the contest, Giant’s Causeway also took on top-class opponents in Kalanisi and Fantastic Light respectively. He beat Kalanisi in a titanic tussle by a narrow finish to land a great victory. His career ended with 12 races, 8 wins and four 2nd-placed finishes, underlining his immense ability and relentless strength to maintain a high standard.

GIANT'S CAUSEWAY

written by Dafydd Lloyd