Prix Eclipse Tips & Betting Preview

A six furlongs trip for the juveniles on heavy ground with UK presence for Godolphin adding a little spice for the British fans. Our runner by runner preview and expert tip are below.

IN SUMMARY: COEUR DE BEAUTE was a little unlucky to find something finishing faster than her last time out when runner-up in a Listed contest. She had previously been a wide margin winner over five and a half furlongs on soft ground and will relish the underfoot conditions and the step up in trip. Sound And Silence is odds-on to win this and, strictly speaking, as a Royal Ascot winner that is fair. However, he flopped badly the only time he has tried this trip and was turned over at odds-on when tried on soft last time, so he is easy enough to oppose given such short odds. River Cannes may surprise a few and outrun her price.

1 FRENCH PEGASUS – Slightly disappointing when turned over as a short priced favourite at Deauville last time out. Much softer ground here should be no issue, bringing his stamina into play. Bred to make up into a better three-year-old when tried over a mile upwards, he may just lack the pace of a couple of the more speedily bred types, even on very deep ground.

2 SOUND AND SILENCE – Winner of the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot when fitted with cheekpieces for the first time, he was beaten out of sight the only time he has tried this trip in the July Stakes. He looked worth another try at the distance when running on in a Group 3 at Chantilly earlier in the month where he encountered soft ground for the first time. He was odds-on there – as he is once more here – but, although he brings the strongest form to the table, the combination of six furlongs and the softest ground he has run on means that he makes little appeal at the price.

3 ARECIBO – A winner over five and a half furlongs on soft ground here, he was disappointing last time out when well behind Sound And Silence at Chantilly. He weakened badly late on in that contest which has to raise doubts over the step up in trip and the softer ground putting too much pressure on his stamina for him to get involved.

4 RIVER CANNES – A winner on her debut over this trip on good ground. She has plenty to find on the bare face of that form, but she is from a family that does well when the mud is flying so these conditions, while new to her, promise to suit. The wide outsider of the field, yet she could well surprise a few and outrun her price.

5 COEUR DE BEAUTE – A wide margin winner on soft ground, she improved on that when stepped up to Listed level last time. She got the better of the long time leader in the final hundred yards only to find another coming over the top with more speed. The step back up in trip will suit her, as will the return to a softer surface. She looks worth taking on the favourite, given that she has far less to prove that he does.