Stars rivals all at Sea

Sea The Stars (L) in control

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Sea The Stars once again proved his quality with a thrilling victory in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

The 2,000 Guineas and Epsom Derby hero became the first horse since Nashwan 20 years ago to win all three races as the 4-7 favourite saw off the determined challenge of Rip Van Winkle.

The John Oxx-trained colt has now won three Group One races over different distances and saw the 10 furlong race out well after Aidan O'Brien's charge came out of the pack to threaten an upset a furlong out.

Jimmy Fortune tracked his old adversary in the straight as the pacemakers came back to the field and Michael Kinane on the favourite was the first to kick on.

The Galileo colt went two lengths clear but had not shaken off Guineas and Derby fourth Rip Van Winkle (11-2), while Conduit was produced with a perfectly timed run after being held up by Ryan Moore.

But the three-year-old duo quickened again a furlong out and had the finish between them, and Sea The Stars kept lengthening under the 50-year-old Kinane to hold a length advantage at the line.

The pair surged four-and-a-half lengths clear of last year's St Leger winner Conduit (9-2), who held off Cima De Triomphe for third place.

Unbelievable

"He is is so quick out of the stalls with his pace and it was almost as if I hit the front too soon today, but it was hard for me to stop him," Kinane said.

"When the second horse came at me, he just picked up. You are never going to win by more than two lengths on him, he just does enough.

"I was hoping to be in front at the furlong marker because I know he quickens really well and he doses when he gets there.

"You don't get many like him, he has so much early pace it is unbelievable."

Oxx was thrilled with the performance and will now choose between the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and the International at York as the horse's next outing.

"This is what keeps you working.

"For 19 days out of 20, when you say what are you wasting your time for training racehorses when you can do something easier, these are the moments that keep you going.

"We'll have to have a think about where he goes next. We just go from race to race and we said after the Irish Derby we'd sit down and have a think about the rest of the year, but obviously it is after this race now.

"The Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown would be a major objective for him and we have to figure out what we are going to do in the meantime.

"There's the King George in three weeks and there is the International at York three weeks after that.

"He comes through his races well and the horse will have a big say where he goes as we'll see how he comes out of this.

"I can't see him running in two races before the Irish Champion Stakes, I think we'll have to miss one."