Simon Holt previews Saturday's Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown:
Investec Derby winner Sea The Stars returns to action in Saturday's Coral-Eclipse Stakes and he meets the older horses for the first time.
Tactics here are going to be fascinating with Aidan O'Brien running two pacemakers for Rip Van Winkle and Lang Shining in there to ensure a good gallop for Conduit.
It may all come alike to Sea The Stars though who has looked a tremendous horse so far. There were fears expressed before Epsom that he wouldn't stay a mile-and-a-half being by Cape Cross and it was a surprise there was a relatively steady pace through the early stages.
However he travelled beautifully all the way round and ran out a decisive winner from subsequent Irish Derby winner Fame And Glory.
His earlier win in the 2000 Guineas has also been franked with second home Delegator and Mastercraftsman (fifth) subsequently fighting out the finish to the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Sea The Stars is bred to be very special and looks exactly that. His form is stacking up and he is probably going to win but I can't put him up at odds-on in such a good race.
Rip Van Winkle is a horse I've liked since early in his two-year-old career and I fancied him to run well in the Guineas where he finished fourth behind Sea The Stars. He filled the same spot behind that horse in the Epsom Derby so you have to ask yourself why he should beat him this time?
There are two possible reasons. Firstly ten furlongs could be Rip Van Winkle's optimum trip and also he is progressing with every run. I expect that to continue as he has looked quite green on occasions, including in the Dewhurst and the Guineas.
I expect him to pick up a decent prize this season but he needs to improve again to win this and there have been reports of a late setback with him.
Cima de Triomphe beat Conduit by a nose in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes over course and distance in May but the runner-up was making his seasonal reappearance and was conceding seven pounds to his rival. You'd have to expect him to reverse form here.
However ten furlongs is his very minimum trip requirement, he won the St Leger during a very progressive three-year-old campaign.
Lines of form through the likes of Vision d'Etat and Cima de Triomphe suggest Conduit is the main danger to the favourite - although lines through the former suggest Twice Over is a massive price at 20/1.
He was beaten only around a length by that rival in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot, which ties in very closely with the other leading older horses. So why should he be twice the price of Cima de Triomphe for example?
Henry Cecil's charge has to be the value bet in the race. I expect Sea The Stars to win but Twice Over has very sound place claims. He is ideally suited by ten furlongs and the overnight rain on Thursday was also in his favour.
His price is too big and while I don't expect him to win, he is an each-way bet.
