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The Ashes

Coral-Eclipse (Group 1) 1m2f, 3yo+

SEA THE STARS became only the fifth horse since 1900 and the first since Nashwan in 1989 to complete the Eclipse, Derby and 2,000 Guineas treble at Sandown on Saturday.

The contest was run at frantic pace form the off with Lang Shining and Set Sail making the race a true test. The pace failed to upset Sea The Stars who cruised to the leaders before two out.

Mick Kinane, riding his fourth Eclipse winner, committed the dual Classic winner shortly after this point and despite the persistent challenge of Rip Van Winkle, he never looked like being caught.

Sea The Stars stayed on relentlessly up the Sandown hill to record victory at odds of 4-7 ahead of Rip Van Winkle who ran a fine race under Jimmy Fortune at 11-2.

Conduit briefly threatened down the outside but did not have the pace of the front pair and finished third at odds of 9-2.

Winning trainer John Oxx was quick to pay tribute to the son of Cape Cross.

He said: “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 himrunning in two races before the Irish Champion Stakes, I think we’ll have to miss one.”

Paddy Power cut the winner to 7-2 (from 4s) for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Winning jockey Mick Kinane added: “Heis 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.

“When the second horse came at me, he just picked up. You are never going to win by more thantwo 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.

“You don’t get many like him, he has so much early pace it is unbelievable.”

What a great day. Sea the Stars has shown the class we said he would and Racing Diary Readers who took 11-10 can have a great night tonight!

Main points of his interview;

Thinks was in front too soon, but had to go on. He just dossed but had enough. Thinks they didnt have a hard race!

Always has more left. Never ridden such an exceptional horse! Laid back and bomb proof!

Says he has an exceptional character. Well balanced and there is MORE TO COME!

Whatever tactics the horse responds.

Is this the best horse you have ever ridden?

Yes- unique pace and the best! The world is his oyster!

The Irish Champion Stakes rematch is on if Fame and Glory wants to come.

Arc- no decision made but doubtful.

Time 3.6 secs under standard!!

2:05 Sandown ANGLEZARKE 2pts win
TRIPLE ASPECT 10pts win

2:20 Haydock LETHAL GLAZE 5pts e/w

2:40 Sandown WE’LL COME 5pts e/w
BLYTHE KNIGHT 2pts e/w

2:55 Haydock HIGH HEELED 5pts win

3:15 Sandown CONDUIT 10pts e/w

3:30 Haydock ALLIED POWERS 5pts e/w
DRILL SERGEANT 4pts e/w
MUNSEF 3pts e/w

3:45 Sandown BEAT SEVEN 3pts e/w

9:20 Nottingham COUNT CEPRANO 10pts e/w

8:00 Bellestown ESSEX 5pts e/w

Sandown

2.05
Masta Plasta 15 in to 11.5
Total Gallery 22 in to 14
Judd Street 23 out to 44

2.40
Mirrored 4.3 out to 6.2
Alfathaa 10.5 in to 8
Huzzah 8 out to 11.5
Ace Of Hearts 17 out to 26
Extraterrestrial 27 in to 21

3.15
Sea The Stars 1.94 in to 1.6
Conduit 5.4 out to 7
Rip Van Winkle 4.8 out to 8
Cima De Triomphe 11 out to 19
Twice Over 30 in to 24

3.45
Strawberrydaiquiri 3 in to 2.18
Wadaat 4.8 out to 6.6

4.20
Judgethemoment 3.3 out to 4
Gravitation 3.8 out to 5.1
Desert Sea 10 in to 6.8
Amerigo 5.6 out to 7.4

4.55
Maswerte 3.3 out to 4.5

5.30
Raaeidd 3.3 out to 2.54
Senses 4.3 out to 5.3
Call It On 5 out to 7.6

Beverley

1.45
Go To Dubai 4.15 in to 2.92
Glen Lass 3.9 out to 5.1
She Knows It all 7.3 out to 14

2.15
Trinder 6 in to 5.2
Mister Hughie 13.5 in to 7

2.45
Sands Crooner 3.75 out to 5.4
Liberty Ship 12.5 in to 8

3.20
Burns Night 2.92 in to 2.42

3.55
Spiders Star 3.4 in to 2.8

Haydock

2.20
Thin Red Line 7.4 in to 6.2
Brunston 5.9 out to 7.2
Becausewecan 12 in to 9.4

2.55
High Heeled 2.7 out to 2.96
Flame Of Gibraltar 3.5 out to 3.9
Barshiba 27 in to 21

3.30
Falcativ 9.8 in to 8.2
Red Merlin 9.2 out to 10.5
Drill Sergeant 12 out to 17
Allied Powers 13 out to 17
Dansili Dancer 17.5 in to 15
Laterly 36 in to 25
Munsef 28 out to 38

4.05
Taqdeyr 6 in to 4.5
Excellerator 9 out to 11
Damika 12 out to 15.5

4.35
Zuzu 6.6 in to 5.4

5.10
Red Rosanna 15 in to 10

5.45
Gassin 3.6 out to 5.3
River Dee 10.5 in to 8.6

Leicester

2.30
Itsher 2.78 in to 2.3
Wotasparkler 6.8 in to 5.3

3.35
Whooshka 5.2 in to 4.4
Mejala 6.4 out to 7.4

5.20
Diapason 4.4 in to 2.5

Paul Hanagan walked the track and he reckons the ground remains very much on the firm side.

“It is still pretty firm out there,” the jockey said.

“But the sting has gone out of it a bit since I rode here on Thursday.

HEAVY SHOWERS were falling at Sandown two hours before the start of racing on Coral-Eclipse day and temperatures began to drop – events completely at odds with the weather forecast earlier in the day.

STAT OF THE DAY

Luca Cumani has won three of the last five renewals of the Bet365 Old Newton Cup with Mad Rush, Zeitgeist and Alkaased, and it is notable that he relies on Falcativ this afternoon.

Ladbrokes St Leger: 4-1 Golden Sword , 6-1 Father Time, 7-1 Mourayan, 8-1 Masterofthehorse, 12-1 Black Bear Island, Harbinger, 14-1 Age Of Aquarius, 16-1 Flying Cloud, 20-1 Alwaary, Holberg, 25-1 Again, Changingoftheguard, Dixie Music, Fremantle, Mastery, Native Ruler, Plymouth Rock, Tactic, Yankee Doodle 33-1 bar (EW 1/4 1,2,3)

Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe: 4-1 Sea The Stars, 9-2 Fame And Glory, 8-1 Conduit, Vision Detat, 16-1 Beheshtam, Casual Conquest, Cutlass Bay, Tartan Bearer, Youmzain, 25-1 Ask, Look Here, Rip Van Winkle, Sariska, Soldier of Fortune, Spanish Moon, 33-1 Yeats (EW 1/4 1,2,3)

Here are our tips for the day- Click Below…

http://www.racingdiary.co.uk/2009/07/03/saturdays-horseracing-tips-4th-july/

Saturdays Lay

3.15 Sandown
Lay Conduit

2-05 Sandown Triple Aspect…..

New to Racing Diary..Every Saturday The Professor

There are Students of the Form Book, but now meet The Professor, Exclusively every Saturday on Racing Diary.

The Professor will bring you the best Value bets, never backing horses at short prices. On Eclipse day The Professor kicks off with just one bet at Haydock.

3.30 Haydock- Old Newton Cup

Horse: Drill Sergeant
Price: 10/1 Stan James
Bet: 1pt Each-way

Mark Johnston is in red hot form at present and there is nothing better than backing a horse that always tries it’s best from a stable in form. Last seen when winning at Royal Ascot Drill Sergeant fits the bill and offers us exceptional each-way value at 10/1 with Stan James.

Seventeen runners pays us first four each-way.

BEVERLEY: GOOD TO FIRM (Watered; GoingStick 9.7)

Forecast: Mainly dry with some sunshine especially at first, with cloudier skies later and the chance of the odd shower; gentle south-westerly winds

Course changes: Rail around the bottom bend has been moved back by 1m, so configuration is now at its widest

CARLISLE: GOOD (Good to firm stands’ side home straight; GoingStick: 7.7)

Forecast: 9mm since 12noon Friday; The chance of the odd daytime showers on Saturday; dry for a time with sunny spells butwith a few showers later; gentle southerly winds

Course changes:Stand bend round to 1 mile start moved out 2m; Old Stable bend has been moved out a further 2m since last race meeting and is now 6m out from inside running line

HAYDOCK: GOOD (Good to firm; GoingStick 8.4; watered)

Forecast: Bright with sunny spells but also the chance of isolated showers, possibly heavy; moderate south-westerly winds

Course changes: East bend on line 3; distance from 1m start to winning post 1m 40yds

LEICESTER: GOOD (Good to firm in places; watering if necessary; GoingStick 8.0)

Forecast: Fairly cloudy with a few showers, but also some sunny spells; gentle south-westerly winds

NOTTINGHAM: (Outer course) GOOD (GoingStick 7.7)

Forecast: Chance of an isolated daytime shower; dry with sunny intervals and variable amounts of cloud; gentle southerly winds

Course changes: Rail moved out 5yds from mile start around whole course to 1m2f

SANDOWN: GOOD (Good to firm in places)

Forecast: Dry overnight; Cloudy for a time with the chance of the odd shower, but sunny spells developing later; light south-westerly winds

Course changes: Rail at innermost configuration and all race distances as advertised

No rain fell overnight and the ground has been changed to good, good to firm in places, from good.

Conduit will be seen in a much better light than on his reappearance here with a truly-run race guaranteed, but Epsom Derby hero Sea The Stars is tactically versatile and is taken to have his measure. Rip Van Winkle could emerge best of the rest, writes Timeform.

Cima De Triomphe was the Derby Italiano winner in 2008 and appeared to excel himself when ninth in the Arc. He edged out Conduit in slowly-run Group Three here last time, but is worse off at the weights with that rival now.

Conduit was highly progressive in 2008, winning the St Leger and Breeders’ Cup Turf. He was narrowly denied in slowly-run Group Three here on his return and a strong gallop is essential at this trip, to help him show his true colours.

Lang Shining won the Spring Cup at Newbury in 2008, but looks out of his depth and is clearly here to ensure a strong pace for his stable companion.

Steele Tango is better than ever this spring, running well in Group Three’s at Newmarket and Sandown, but below that level of late and surely biting off more than he can chew here.

Twice Over did little wrong in 2008, landing the Craven Stakes and a Group Twp in France. He is every bit as good this term, but has come up short all four previous attempts at this level and a similar scenario is likely.

Jukebox Jury is a smart performer who overcame trouble in running to win the Group Two Royal Lodge Stakes in 2008. He had setbacks prior to last of seven in Group Three in France on his return and has plenty to prove now.

Malibu Bay looked a useful prospect when winning an eight furlong Navan maiden in October, but has had his limitations exposed in Group company this term and is probably playing a pacemaking role here.

Rip Van Winkle had a lofty reputation as a juvenile and lived up to that tag when fourth to Sea The Stars in 2000 Guineas and Derby, but there is no reason to suppose he can turn the tables with that one here.

Sea The Stars turned in classy displays to win 2000 Guineas and Derby, having Rip Van Winkle behind on both occasions. He should be equally effective at 10f and will be tough to beat.

Set Sail is a decent performer in his own right, but has been employed as a pacemaker this term and is likely to fulfil the same role here.