Tuesday, July 3, 2001

ECLIPSE TAKES SHAPE

Black Minnaloushe, who has been supplemented to the field at a cost of £20,000, is bidding to emulate his illustrious former stablemate Giant's Causeway, winner of the race 12 months ago, while another Aidan O'Brien charge, Bach, could make a quick return after winning the Listed Budweiser Celebration Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday. Darwin and recent Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris third Bonnard complete the Ballydoyle team.

Further spice is added with the news that Group 1 Lockinge Stakes winner Medicean, who defeated a top-class field in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out, could line up at Sandown, bidding for his first win at ten furlongs.

Running plans for the Godolphin team have still to be finalised but whether the Vodafone Derby third Tobougg or 2000 Emirates World Racing Series Champion Fantastic Light is the main hope, the Maktoum family's operation will have a strong hand.

With other possibles including the 1999 winner Compton Admiral, Group 1-winning juvenile Distant Music, last season's French Derby hero Holding Court, Singapore International Cup winner Endless Hall, and this year's French Derby third Grandera, the 2001 Coral Eurobet Eclipse Stakes promises to be a race to relish.

Coral Eurobet make Black Minnaloushe 9/4 favourite for the Group 1 contest followed by 11/4 Tobougg, 4/1 Medicean, 7/1 Endless Hall, 8/1 Grandera and Distant Music, 25/1 Holding Court, Bach and Compton Admiral. Simon Clare, Coral Eurobet's spokesman, said: "We are delighted to be associated with such a high-quality race, and after last year's epic finish between Giant's Causeway and Kalanisi, the standard of this year's entries suggests we could be in for an equally exciting display this weekend."

Five-day entries on all three days of the Sandown Summer Carnival have been excellent with 22 confirmed for the highlight of Friday's card, the £100,000 TOTE EXACTA HANDICAP. The sponsors of this ultra-competitive event have installed Canada and Faraway Look, trained by James Fanshawe like last year's winner Lady Angharad, as 6/1 joint favourites.

Matt Chapman, the Tote's PR Director, said: "The Tote Exacta Handicap was a major ante-post betting event last year and this week's renewal is no different. The race will be highly competitive but as yet punters are so baffled that they haven't latched on to any particular horse."

There are also high-class entries for Sunday with 28 in the feature SANDOWN.CO.UK STAKES, and the highly-regarded Latin Lynx, trained by David Loder, could bid to make amends for her recent Royal Ascot defeat in the Listed DRAGON STAKES, sponsored by ABN Amro Futures Ltd.

Andrew Cooper, Clerk of the Course at Sandown Park, said: "We are set for a marvellous three day's racing at the Sandown Summer Carnival on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Coral Eurobet Eclipse Stakes promises to be one of the highlights of the 2001 Flat season and the first occasion when top-class three-year-olds will meet their elders.

"The ground is currently good to firm and the plan is to hold it at good to firm and not any faster. In view of the weather forecast for later in the week, it is unlikely that there will be any watering beyond Tuesday."

THE CORAL EUROBET ECLIPSE STAKES

Class A, Group One, Sandown Park, 4.05pm Saturday, July 7, 2001, 1m 2f. Total Prize Fund £345,000. 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 May 2 2001 (76 entries), forfeit stage June 19, 2001 (41 remained), £20,000 supplementary entry stage June 30 (1 added), five-day declaration stage July 2 (15 confirmed), final declaration stage 10am July 5. (Form figures supplied by Weatherbys are correct up to Monday, July 2, 2001. May not include some overseas form).

122-25201 BACH (IRE) 4 Satish Sanan & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
1-25011 BLACK MINNALOUSHE (USA) 3 Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
132203-3 BONNARD (IRE) 3 Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
50-(4)1(2)(0) BROCHE (USA) 4 Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
10015/-3 COMPTON ADMIRAL 5 Erik Penser Gerard Butler
64-0150 DARWIN (IRE) 3 Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE
20130-4 DISTANT MUSIC (USA) 4 Khalid Abdulla Barry Hills
11-(4)(0)34 EKRAAR (USA) 4 Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
5011-416 ENDLESS HALL 5 Il Paralupo Luca Cumani
4531-211 FANTASTIC LIGHT (USA) 5 Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
141-1545 GIVE THE SLIP 4 Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor
5120-23 GRANDERA (IRE) 3 Lael Stable & Mrs V Shelton James Fanshawe
11655-3 HOLDING COURT 4 John Good Michael Jarvis
30314-11 MEDICEAN 4 Cheveley Park Stud Sir Michael Stoute
111-03 TOBOUGG (IRE) 3 Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor

15 Entries remain after five-day confirmation stage
4 Irish-trained

GLITTERING SATURDAY CARD

The Coral Eurobet Eclipse Stakes is the highlight of an outstanding card on Saturday, when the first of six races is due off at 2.15pm, the SUMMER CARNIVAL HANDICAP STAKES, which has 35 five-day entries.

Aidan O'Brien, who has four entries in the big race, could be represented by the lightly-raced Juniper in the Listed PORCELONOSA SPRINT over five furlongs at 2.50pm. David Wachman, who trains near O'Brien in Co Tipperary, has entered Alegranza, a seven-length winner at Tipperary on May 25 and fifth at the Curragh on Sunday. Watching and Lord Kintyre, last year's first and second, are entered again as is Bahamian Pirate, runner-up in a Group 3 at Newcastle on Saturday.

Order, who missed Saturday's Northumberland Plate at Newcastle on Saturday, is one of 22 entries for the THEODORE GODDARD HANDICAP at 4.05pm while 15 juveniles have been entered for the EBF MAIDEN STAKES 35 minutes later.

Among them are Kriskova from the all-conquering David Loder stable, Continuously, who represents Henry Cecil, and Bragadino, trained by Sir Michael Stoute.

A great day's racing is rounded off at 5.15pm with the CARIBBEAN HANDICAP STAKES in which there are 28 five-day entries.

MEDICEAN FACTFILE

4 ch c Machiavellian (USA) - Mystic Goddess (Storm Bird (CAN))
Form: 31130314-11 Owner: Cheveley Park Stud
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute Breeder: Cheveley Park Stud
Jockey: Kieren Fallon

Medicean

The Machiavellian colt is unbeaten in two runs this year, winning the Group 1 Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on his seasonal debut with Swallow Flight close up in third. He then gave weight away in the Group 2 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, also over a mile, on June 19 when Swallow Flight was a length second. He did not race as a two-year-old and made his racecourse debut when third in Newmarket's Wood Ditton Stakes on April 19, 2000. Victories came on his next two starts, first in a Sandown conditions event by a short-head and then in an Ayr classified stakes. Medicean showed further improvement to be a close third to Giant's Causeway in the Group 1 St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot but then disappointed when a handicap snip in the John Smith's Magnet Cup at York, his only attempt to date over ten furlongs, never recovering after being drawn on the outside of a large field. Another third to Giant's Causeway followed in Goodwood's Group 1 Lanson Champagne Sussex Stakes at the beginning of August, followed by victory over Observatory in the Group 2 Celebration Mile at the same Sussex track. His last outing in a busy season was his fourth to Observatory and Giant's Causeway in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot. Race record: Starts: 10; 1st:5; 2nd:0; 3rd:3 ; Win & Place Prize Money: £297,255

Cheveley Park Stud

The stud belongs to David and Patricia Thompson and is one of the biggest owner-breeder operations in Britain. The stud is at Cheveley, just outside Newmarket and their umbrella also covers the Sandwich, Warren Hill and Ashley Heath studs. They both sell and race the horses they produce there, so much so that they had five representatives in the Newmarket classic, the Sagitta 2000 Guineas, this year. They began stud operations in the 1970s and now stand nine stallions, including Derby winner Benny The Dip, Pivotal, Bishop of Cashel, Polar Falcon and Primo Dominie. David Thompson is a former Smithfield meat trader, who first made his business mark with the Hillsdown Holdings food group, which he later sold in two separate deals for about £300million. In the 2001 Sunday Times "rich list" the Thompson family is placed equal 101st, with estimated assets of £320 million. The best horse they have bred so far is Entrepreneur, who was joint top at the 1995 Houghton Sales when he made 600,00gns before going on to take the Sagitta 2000 Guineas of 1997 in the colours of Michael Tabor, and the biggest race the Thompsons have won is the Martell Grand National with Party Politics in 1992. The home-bred Medicean gave Cheveley Park Stud another home-bred Group 1 success when winning the Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May. They have Flat horses with half a dozen trainers in this country - Michael Bell, James Fanshawe, William Haggas, Amanda Perrett, Sir Mark Prescott and Sir Michael Stoute. No previous Coral Eurobet Eclipse wins

Sir Michael Stoute

Born in Barbados on October 22, 1945, where his father was chief of police, Michael Stoute came to Britain in 1965 to nurture his love of racing. He joined Pat Rohan at Malton before moving to Newmarket three years later to work for Doug Smith and then Tom Jones. Stoute took out a public licence to train in 1972, recording his first success that year when Sandal won at Newmarket on April 28. Since then he has been at the top of his profession and has been champion trainer six times - in 1981, 1986, 1989, 1994, 1997 and last season, when his stars included Sagitta 2000 Guineas King's Best and Kalanisi, winner of the Breeders' Cup Turf and Dubai Champion Stakes. A memorable 1997 was headed by the two older horses Singspiel and Pilsudski. Four Group 1 successes went Pilsudski's way - the Coral Eurobet Eclipse, Irish Champion Stakes, Dubai Champion Stakes and Japan Cup, while Singspiel won the Dubai World Cup, the Vodafone Coronation Cup and the Juddmonte International. His long list of big-race successes also includes the Coral Eurobet Eclipse (three times), the Sagitta 2000 Guineas (five times), Sagitta 1000 Guineas, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (twice), Vodafone Derby (twice) ,Vodafone Oaks( twice), the Irish Derby (three times), Irish Oaks (five times), Irish 1,000 Guineas and Irish 2,000 Guineas (three times) as well as many other races across the globe. Stoute, who was knighted in 1998 for his services to sport and tourism in Barbados, has 185 horses in training this year at his Freemason Lodge yard in Newmarket. Three-time champion jockey Kieren Fallon became the stable's retained rider in 2000. Coral Eurobet Eclipse record:1975 Sir Penfro (11th); 1981 Hard Fought (7th); 1987 Milligram (5th); 1991 Stagecraft (2nd); 1992 Opera House (2nd); 1992 Rock Hopper (7th); 1992 Mellaby (11th); 1993 OPERA HOUSE (WON);1994 EZZOUD (WON); 1995 Singspiel (2nd); 1997 PILSUDSKI (WON); 1998 Insatiable (4th); 1999 Fantastic Light (3rd); 1999 Insatiable (6th); 2000 Kalanisi (2nd)

Kieren Fallon

Born on February 22, 1965, in County Clare, Ireland, Kieren Fallon joined Kevin Prendergast's yard as an apprentice in 1983. Piccadilly Lord at Navan on June 18, 1984, was the first winner. Moved from Ireland to ride for Jimmy FitzGerald's Malton stable from 1989 until 1991 and then spent three years with Lynda Ramsden's yard from 1993 until the end of 1996. At the start of the 1997 Flat season, Fallon was a surprise appointment as stable jockey to the Henry Cecil yard and promptly won the Sagitta 1000 Guineas on Sleepytime and Vodafone Oaks on Reams Of Verse. He ceased riding for Cecil in August, 1999, and has been first jockey to Sir Michael Stoute since the start of the 2000 season. The new partnership made an excellent start with the victory of King's Best in last season's Sagitta 2000 Guineas, a classic he won again this year aboard Golan. Fallon was champion jockey in 1997 (202 wins), 1998 (204) and 1999 (202). He also won three of the five classics in 1999 - the Sagitta 1000 Guineas on Wince, the Vodafone Oaks on Ramruma and the Vodafone Derby on Oath, his first success in the premier classic. His championship ambitions ended at Royal Ascot last year when he suffered a horrific fall requiring shoulder surgery that meant his season was over. He resumed riding in Dubai over the winter.

Coral Eurobet Eclipse record: 1996 Ela-Aristokrati (4th); 1997 Bosra Sham (3rd); 1999 Chester House (4th).


HIGH-CLASS RACING AT SANDOWN PARK'S SUNDAY SPECTACULAR

The final day of Sandown Park's three-day Summer Festival on Sunday, July 8, looks sure to be a resounding success with a total of 135 five-day entries for the six-race programme which begins at 2.05pm and there will be plenty of non-racing entertainment.

The £45,000 SANDOWN.CO.UK SHOWCASE HANDICAP, over a mile, is Sunday's feature race. Last year this highly-competitive event was won by the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Caribbean Monarch less than a month after the Fairy King colt had been successful in the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot.

Silk St John and Calcutta, trained by Mick Ryan and Barry Hills, are among this year's excellent 28 entries and these two rivals finished fourth and sixth respectively in last year's renewal.

The former produced his best performance of the season when a close-up fifth in a Doncaster handicap on the first day of July and he could be running into form, while Calcutta showed his liking for Sandown when winning the Doubleprint Rated Showcase Handicap at the Surrey course in May.

Duke Of Modena finished a half-length runner-up to Calcutta on that occasion and the pair could re-oppose again. The Toby Balding-trained four-year-old was well beaten in last month's Royal Hunt Cup, but in September he managed to get the better of this year's Wokingham winner Nice One Clare by a head in a valuable Ascot handicap.

The Britannia Stakes runner-up Ecclesiastical, recent Newmarket winner Entail and Desert Deer, a four-length winner at Pontefract on May 25, add further spice.

The feature race is well-supported by the £20,000 added Listed DRAGON STAKES, a five-furlong sprint for two-year-olds, which this season has attracted ten quality entries.

The Sheikh Mohammed-owned Latin Lynx, is a highly-regarded member of David Loder's all-conquering juvenile team. After proving far too good for her rivals on her racecourse debut in a Leicester maiden, she was a close fourth in the Group 3 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot in June and she will be out to make amends here.

Other notable entries in this contest are Acclamation, who beat subsequent six-length winner Prince Dayjur over course and distance last month, and Mizillablack, who also appeared in this year's Queen Mary Stakes and represents trainer Nerys Dutfield, successful last year with Misty Eyed, who later went on to win the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood's July meeting.

THE sandown.co.uk STAKES

Total Prize Fund £45,000, Class B, Showcase Handicap, 3.50pm, Sunday, July 8, 2001, one mile. For three-year-olds and upwards rated 0-105. Penalties: after June 30, a winner 5lb. Weights published Tuesday, July 3. Final declaration stage 10.00am, Friday, July 6.

255352 ADOBE 6 P R Kirk Mark Brisbourne
3010-02 BIG FUTURE 4 Khalid Abdulla Amanda Perrett
2-33410 BLACK KNIGHT 3 W J P Jackson Sean Woods
5-53605 BLUE MOUNTAIN 4 Mrs C J Hue Williams Fulke Johnson Houghton
164-260 BOLD KING 6 The Farleigh Court Racing Partnership John Hills
0-(0)0510 BRILLIANT RED 8 Mrs M J George Lydia Richards
00-0400 CAIR PARAVEL (IRE) 4 Caroline Parker Richard Hannon
0-04210 CALCUTTA 5 Catherine Corbett & Chris Wright Barry Hills
(2)(1)(1)-400 CRIMSON TIDE (IRE) 7 Chris Wright & Partners John Hills
211 DESERT DEER 3 Jaber Abdullah Mark Johnston
614-620 DUKE OF MODENA 4 Bridget Swire Toby Balding
02-112 ECCLESIASTICAL 3 Cheveley Park Stud James Fanshawe
23120-0 EMMS (USA) 3 Sir George Meyrick Paul Cole
43-(0)111 ENTAIL (USA) 4 Plantation Stud William Jarvis
103600- FREE OPTION (IRE) 6 Mrs G E M Brown Ben Hanbury
0-216 JEDEYDD 4 Aziz Merza Ben Hanbury
30-0446 KAREEB (FR) 4 J Bernstein William Muir
3021-00 MATERIAL WITNESS (IRE) 4 M J Caddy William Muir
13D/62/-0 MUHTAFEL 7 R M Ellis John Jenkins
510532 NASHAAB (USA) 4 M W Lawrence David Evans
153-500 PATSY'S DOUBLE 3 Patricia Buckley Michael Blanshard
205-102 PROCEED WITH CARE 3 Maktoum Al Maktoum Mark Johnston
0000(1)-3 ROYAL INSULT 4 D R Kerr Karl Burke
1-00222 SEA MARK 5 AKV Cladding Fabrications Ltd Chris Grant
06-4505 SHARP PLAY 6 Mrs I Bird Mark Johnston
(0)(0)0505 SILK ST JOHN 7 C R S Partners Mick Ryan
3-00100 SWIFT DISPERSAL 4 Marion E Southcott Stuart Williams
112321 THIHN (IRE) 6 The Square Milers John Spearing

28 five-day entries

FABULOUS FRIDAY AT SANDOWN'S SUMMER CARNIVAL

The highlight of Friday's six-race programme, which begins at 2.10pm, is the £100,000 Tote Exacta Showcase Handicap, a one mile two furlong event for horses aged three and above, which has 22 five-day confirmations.

Last season's renewal of this ultra-competitive handicap was won by the James Fanshawe-trained Lady Angharad, who held on bravely in a terrific finish to thwart the sustained challenge of Albarahin by a head.

This year Fanshawe relies upon Faraway Look, a dual winner at Wolverhampton last season, who made an encouraging return when runner-up to subsequent Royal Ascot scorer Takamaka Bay at Haydock last month. The son of Distant View is currently 6/1 joint-favourite with the sponsor.

Sharing favouritism is the Barry Hills-trained Canada, who did not manage to gain a win as a juvenile but has been successful on his last two starts this year, firstly in an Ayr maiden on June 1, and then 15 days later in a rated handicap at York, earning him a 4lb penalty for Sandown.

Mark Johnston won the Tote Exacta Handicap in 1998 with Yavana's Pace, who is unlucky not to have subsequently gained a first Group One success, having finished runner-up in three top-class contests.

The Middleham trainer could be triple-handed this year with Sharp Play, Riberac and Julius. The trio all have claims with perhaps Johnston's best hope being Riberac, who has finished a close third on her last two starts, having previously won a Beverley handicap in May.

Other notable entries include Blue Gold, who picked up a 4lb penalty after winning the Listed Fast Track Consulting Gala Stakes at Kempton on June 27, and Pantar, who also carries a penalty after winning the SBJ Group Handicap over course and distance on June 15. Ulundi, a versatile performer on the Flat and over jumps, has been targetted at this race by trainer Paul Webber before he reverts to National Hunt Rules to contest the Galway Hurdle in Ireland on August 4.

A strong supporting card begins at 2.10pm with the £15,000-added Carnival Starts Here Handicap, a sprint where some of the best handicappers in training will attempt to fly up Sandown's stiff five-furlong course.

Two great sportsmen could team up as Frankie Dettori has been booked to ride Candleriggs, who is owned by Manchester United Football Club Manager Alex Ferguson. Ed Dunlop's charge will be fancied by many to score having been prominent from a bad draw when considered not to have stayed the six furlongs of the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot last time out.

DONCASTER'S AFTERNOON AND EVENING MEETING

The feature race on Wednesday is The Carling Lager Conditions Stakes, a £10,000-added contest for two-year-olds over seven furlongs supported by regular sponsors on Town Moor, Bass Brewers, who also support The Caffreys Classified Stakes over six furlongs.

Three-year-old sprinters are catered for in The Doncaster Racecourse Sponsorship Club Handicap Stakes (six furlongs), while Faucets, the U.K.'s leading distributor of showers and showering equipment, return to Doncaster after a few years' absence to sponsor The Faucets For Grohe Avensys Universal Shower Valves Handicap Stakes, a contest for three-year-olds over the straight mile.

Newey & Eyre, electrical distributors serving the Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire region, also return to Doncaster to support the race for maidens over one mile and a half on Wednesday afternoon, followed by a Classified Stakes contest over the extended one mile and a quarter on Thursday evening.

The Halifax Insurance Handicap Stakes is the principal race on Thursday evening. This race for three-year-olds over one mile and a quarter welcomes back to Doncaster, Halifax Insurance, who first sponsored a race at this equivalent evening fixture four years ago.

As usual, the supervised creche facility in the Family Enclosure will be available at £1.80 per hour.

SPRINTERS AND 'A TOUCH OF FROST' AT PONTEFRACT

The St. Giles Handicap Stakes and the Dianne Nursery Handicap Stakes are both contested over six furlongs. The former carries prize money of £10,000, while the latter is the north's first handicap of the 2001 Flat season for two-year-olds.

Also on Tuesday, the 18th running of The King Richard III Stakes commemorates the granting of a Royal Charter to the Borough of Pontefract by the monarch in 1484. The race is a handicap contest over one mile for fillies and mares and the successful owner will receive a perpetual challenge trophy given by Pontefract Civic Trust.

The Saffie Joseph & Sons Classified Stakes, a contest for three-year-olds over one mile and a quarter, enjoys the support of one of the major distributors of televised U.K. racing to the Caribbean betting industry.

Racing on Tuesday begins at 2.20 p.m. with The Hyde Sporting Promotions Ladies Handicap Stakes, run over one mile and a quarter. The Dukinfield (Cheshire)-based company, Hyde Sporting Promotions Ltd. return to Pontefract for the 14th year to support this race for lady amateur riders.

For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink Archive

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