Monday, June 30, 2003
HUGE FIVE-DAY ENTRY FOR SUMMER SHOWPIECE
27 Five-Day Confirmations For Coral-Eclipse Compared to 14 Last Year
As expected, the Vodafone Derby fourth Norse Dancer was today supplemented at a cost of £20,000 for the 2003 Coral-Eclipse Stakes, which will now have total prize money of £370,000 when run at Sandown Park on Saturday, July 5.
The glittering Group 1 event promises to be one of the highlights of the racing year with a modern-day record 27 horses (including Norse Dancer) in the race after today's five-day confirmation stage, nearly double the 14 entries who remained at the same stage 12 months ago.
This year's Coral-Eclipse is the second leg of the British Horseracing Board's Summer Triple Crown and Grand Slam, carrying bonuses of £1 million and £5 million, and Nayef, winner of the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot, one of the first legs, is 9/4 favourite with Coral to land the Sandown race.
"He's come out of Ascot extremely well and may even be a bit sharper than before Ascot," said Nayef's trainer Marcus Tregoning today.
"He did a mile canter this morning and is probably the soundest horse I've ever trained. He would probably be better on faster ground but will go on anything and depending on the weather is likely to have one more pipe-opener before the Coral-Eclipse, in which Izdiham is likely to act as pacemaker."
Godolphin, successful in the contest three times before, will be bidding for an amazing 100th Group or Grade 1 success in Saturday's race and look to rely on the 2002 World Series Champion Grandera, the progressive Sights On Gold, winner of the Group 3 betfair.com Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May, and likely pacemaker Narrative to achieve that tremendous feat.
Aidan O'Brien, successful last year with Hawk Wing and in 2000 with Giant's Causeway, has the three-year-olds Hold That Tiger, Alberto Giacometti and Balestrini remaining, while other members of the classic generation still engaged include Vodafone Derby sixth Dutch Gold, his stablemate Titurel, King Edward VII Stakes second Delsarte and John Gosden's Ikhtyar, who has not run since finishing second to Kalaman in the Listed Heron Stakes at Kempton on May 24.
The three-year-olds will face a whole host of proven older opponents that include Japan Cup winner Falbrav, South African star Victory Moon, winner of the UAE Derby in Dubai in March, last season's French Oaks heroine Bright Sky, the 2002 Yorkshire Oaks winner Islington, who is expected to come on considerably for her seasonal debut when third to Nayef at Royal Ascot, Hardwicke Stakes hero Indian Creek, the 2002 Great Voltigeur Stakes victor Bandari, recent French Group 3 winner Carnival Dancer, bidding to continue a purple patch for owners Cheveley Park Stud, as well as a number of less-exposed contenders such as Sir Michael Stoute's rapidly-improving pair Comfy and Princely Venture.
Andrew Cooper, Clerk of the Course at Sandown Park, said today: "We are thrilled to see so many entries remaining from so many different quarters in the 2003 Coral-Eclipse, which promises to be one of the highlights of the racing year.
"We had about three millimetres of rain on Sunday evening and another two millimetres up to mid-afternoon on Monday. There is further showery rain forecast up to Tuesday with the outlook increasingly better from Wednesday onwards. The going is good-to-firm, good in places."
Simon Clare, spokesman for Coral, sponsoring the race for a 28th year, added: "This could be one of the most competitive Coral-Eclipses ever but it also has serious strength and depth in terms of quality. Add in the excitement of Nayef gunning for the BHB Triple Crown and we really should have a race to savour. This is one of the longest running sponsorships in racing and one we are extremely proud of."
The latest Coral betting is: 9-4 Nayef, 9-2 Islington, 7-1 Norse Dancer, Falbrav, 8-1 Grandera, 9-1 Bright Sky, 11-1 Hold That Tiger, 14-1 Balestrini, 16-1 Olden Times, Indian Creek, 20-1 Victory Moon, Sights On Gold, Ikhtyar, 22-1 Bandari, 25-1 Dutch Gold, Delsarte, Dandoun, 33-1 Alberto Giacometti, Carnival Dancer, Comfy, Princely Venture, 40-1 Chancellor, 50-1 Izdiham, 66-1 Ekraar, 100-1 Kaieteur, Narrative, 200-1 Titurel.
THE CORAL-ECLIPSE
Class A, Group One, Sandown Park, 3.35pm Saturday, July 5, 2003, 1m 2f. Total Prize Fund £370,000. For three-year-olds and upwards. Weights: three-year-old colts & geldings 8st 10lb; three-year-old fillies 8st 7lb. Four-year-old plus colts and geldings 9st 7lb; four-year-old plus fillies & mares 9st 4lb. Entries closed April 30, 2003 (96 entries), forfeit stage June 17, 2003 (59 remained), £20,000 supplementary entry stage June 30 (1 supplementary entry), five-day confirmation stage June 30 (26 remain), final declaration stage 10.00am, July 3. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Sunday, June 29, 2003. May not include some overseas form.
Form Horse Age Owner Trainer
11-3306 ALBERTO GIACOMETTI (IRE) 3 Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
30-145 BALESTRINI (IRE) 3 Michael Tabor &Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
0113-444 BANDARI (IRE) 4 Hamdan Al Maktoum Mark Johnston
21310-2 BRIGHT SKY (IRE) 4 Ecurie Wildenstein Elie Lellouche FR
540-5131 CARNIVAL DANCER 5 Cheveley Park Stud Amanda Perrett
1550-46 CHANCELLOR (IRE) 5 Bill Gredley Barry Hills
315/-1 COMFY (USA) 4 Khalid Abdulla Sir Michael Stoute
130-110 DANDOUN 5 Prince A A Faisal John Dunlop
112 DELSARTE (USA) 3 Abdullah Saeed BelHab Mark Johnston
0-(1)3216 DUTCH GOLD (USA) 3 Sheikh Marwan Al Maktoum Clive Brittain
5234-310 EKRAAR (USA) 6 Hamdan Al Maktoum Marcus Tregoning
1301-315 FALBRAV (IRE) 5 Scuderia Rencati Srl Luca Cumani
5130-(1)(4)7 GRANDERA (IRE) 5 Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
1101(3)-04 HOLD THAT TIGER (USA) 3 Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
312 IKHTYAR (IRE) 3 Hamdan Al Maktoum John Gosden
460-(4)131 INDIAN CREEK 5 Seymour Cohn David Elsworth
101153-3 ISLINGTON (IRE) 4 Exors of the late Lord Weinstock Sir Michael Stoute
1213-44 IZDIHAM (IRE) 4 Hamdan Al Maktoum Marcus Tregoning
24210-06 KAIETEUR (USA) 4 Susan McCarthy Brian Meehan
1205-43 NARRATIVE (IRE) 5 Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
13421-(3)1 NAYEF (USA) 5 Hamdan Al Maktoum Marcus Tregoning
11447-34 NORSE DANCER (IRE) 3 Jeff Smith David Elsworth*
344/3-134 OLDEN TIMES 5 Prince A A Faisal John Dunlop
5/10-1 PRINCELY VENTURE (IRE) 4 Exors of the late Lord Weinstock Sir Michael Stoute
212-261 SIGHTS ON GOLD (IRE) 4 Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
42-3444 TITUREL 3 Brian Voak Clive Brittain
1(1)(1)-(1)(2)(1)0 VICTORY MOON (SAF) 4 MAD Syndicate Mike de Kock SAF
26 entries remain after June 30 five-day confirmation stage plus one supplementary entry
3 Irish-trained
1 French-trained
1 South African-trained
* supplemented
JULY FUN AT SALISBURY
Salisbury Stages Its First Ladies Night
The first half of July features two exciting days at Salisbury racecourse, with a Ladies Evening on Friday, July 4, while the friendly Wiltshire course's only Saturday fixture of the year takes place on Saturday, July 12.
Both days feature a tremendous mix of good racing and a whole host of activities away from the track to keep all racegoers amused.
Friday, July 4, is LADIES EVENING. Female racegoers are encouraged to turn out in their finest attire for this exciting new venture and there is every incentive to do so, with a number of fabulous prizes. The best dressed-lady of the evening will land a £250 gift voucher to spend at Debenhams while there are a number of runner-up prizes of romantic meals for two at local restaurants.
On the racing side, July 4 features a six-race programme beginning with the AXMINSTER CARPETS APPRENTICE HANDICAP (6.35pm) and running through to the WILTON SHOPPING VILLAGE MAIDEN FILLIES' STAKES (9.05pm). The feature race of the evening is the £23,000-added E.B.F. LADIES EVENING CLASSIFIED STAKES (8.35pm), a mile contest for three-year-olds. Seihali landed this contest for Newmarket trainer Alec Stewart 12 months ago. The other three races on July 4 are the AXMINSTER CARPETS NURSERY HANDICAP (7.05pm), the EUROPEAN BREEDERS' FUND GEORGE SMITH HORSEBOXES MAIDEN STAKES (7.35pm) and the WILTON GRAPHICS HANDICAP (8.05pm).
Racegoers will also have a chance to tuck into some succulent char-grilled food on July 4 with a big barbeque in operation.
July 12 is Salisbury's sole Saturday fixture of the season and kicks off with the ANDREW & EMMA WEDDING CELEBRATION EBF MAIDEN STAKES (2.20pm) and the six-race programme concludes with the CARNARVON AMATEUR RIDERS' HANDICAP (5.10pm) The feature event of the afternoon is the £8,000-added CHAMPAGNE DUVAL-LEROY RATED STAKES (4.05pm), a mile handicap for three-year-olds. Golden Chalice landed this event in 2002 for the now-retired trainer and Salisbury director Ian Balding. The July 12 card is completed by the SOUTH WESTERN HOTEL AT TISBURY NOVICE AUCTION STAKES (2.55pm), the WESTERN DAILY PRESS HANDICAP (3.30pm) and the SARAH GRUBB WEDDING ANNIVERSARY MAIDEN STAKES (4.40pm).
Racegoers needing some guidance about their betting selections should make their way to the steps of the weighing room an hour before racing for "Salisbury Selections." This consists of a panel of experts giving their views on the afternoon's action. The panel is likely to be composed of jockey Alan Daly, racing journalist Robin Gray and hopefully leading trainer Toby Balding, who has saddled two Grand National winners in his long career.
The big screen will be in operation on both July 4 and July 12 helping racegoers watch the action while there will also be a Pimms Tent in operation at both meetings. For the younger racegoers, a bouncy castle will be available on both days.
Jeremy Martin, Clerk of the Course and General Manager at Salisbury, said: "We have a good couple of days racing coming up in July with lots of activities to keep all members of the family amused.
"The recent Bibury Meeting was a great success with around 5,400 people attending over the two days. It was good to see local trainer Roger Charlton gain his fourth Salisbury winner of the year with Midas Way in the Tote Trifecta Bibury Cup while the exciting two-year-old Milk It Mick was an impressive winner of the Taittinger Champagne Auction Stakes."
Admission prices on both Friday, July 4, and Saturday, July 12, are Members £16, Tattersalls £10, Course £5, and, as at all Salisbury's meetings, accompanied children under 16 are admitted FREE to all enclosures. Car parking is also FREE. The gates open at 4.30pm for the evening meeting on July 4 and at noon for the Saturday fixture on July 12.
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