Aidan O'Brien's three-year-old French Classic winner St Mark's Basilica taking on older rivals Mishriff and Addeybb in Group One Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on Saturday; Roger Varian's El Drama completes field of four
Friday 2 July 2021 16:49, UK
St Mark's Basilica is out to uphold the honour of the Classic generation in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.
Only three of the last 10 winners have been three-year-olds - despite a 10lb weight-for-age allowance - and they were not even represented last year as Ghaiyyath beat Enable.
Those that have won in recent times include the John Gosden duo of Roaring Lion and Golden Horn and perhaps one of the best Eclipse winners of them all in Sea The Stars.
On what he has done so far this season, the Aidan O'Brien-trained St Mark's Basilica certainly would not look out of place among those names should he come out on top in a select four-runner field.
Winner of the Dewhurst as a juvenile, in two runs this year the Siyouni colt has landed the French 2000 Guineas and Derby.
"We've been delighted with him this season, both his runs," said O'Brien.
"Everything went well before them and everything has gone well since. The ground is drying up and I'd imagine that the more it dries up the more it will suit him."
When asked what made him decide to go down the French route with St Mark's Basilica this season, the Ballydoyle handler replied: "We'd planned to take him over on Arc day last year with the intention of then aiming him at the French races.
"Obviously he couldn't run on Arc day (due to feed irregularities) and that was how he ended up in the Dewhurst a week later. He was always going to go back to France."
Gosden's Mishriff has proved a revelation abroad, but needs to win a big prize on home soil before he perhaps can be considered among his trainer's very best.
"He was in winter training, which is a little bit different and obviously in his last race (in the UK) he got stuck in a bog at Ascot (on Champions Day)," said Gosden.
"We've been happy with him, he trained nicely into the Saudi Cup and flew home, then we had to train him again for the Sheema Classic."
He went on: "He showed his versatility winning over a mile and an eighth on dirt and a mile and a half on turf, and then the idea was immediately to freshen up and give him every possible chance to come back for our summer programme.
"We're not midway though the summer, but the Eclipse has been our plan for a long time. I've been very happy with his preparation. He's not a horse I take away for racecourse gallops, he's done enough travelling this year."
After some trials and tribulations David Egan regained the ride on Mishriff and completed the job in Saudi Arabia and Dubai. He is understandably excited by the challenge.
"I think the Eclipse is the first middle-distance Group One of the European season open to both sexes in which the classic generation meet their elders, so that always makes it very exciting," said Egan ahead of the latest middle-distance leg of the Qipco British Champions Series.
"It's a small field, but it's what you might call a boutique field, as they are all very good, and what makes it even more interesting is that it's a clash between the last two French Derby winners.
"Mishriff has to give St Mark's Basilica a bit of weight and it should be a very exciting race to watch, but I think he's got what it takes. It should be a terrific race and I hope everything goes smoothly."
A third top-class runner among the quartet is William Haggas' Addeybb - three times a Grade One winner in Australia and successful in the Champion Stakes in October.
He has proved a real breakthrough horse for Tom Marquand who, like Egan, is a former champion apprentice.
"That spell down under last year was a huge help to my career, for while I was doing quite well already it took everything to a different level for me," said Marquand.
"As we know, Addeybb is entirely ground dependent, and any more rain will help, but provided it's suitable for him to run then he ought to have every chance. It's a small field, but it's good horses against good horses and that's just what you want in a race like the Eclipse."
Roger Varian's El Drama completes the field. He won the Dee Stakes at Chester, but was a long way behind St Mark's Basilica in the French Derby.
