Constitution River further enhanced his growing reputation with a dominant display in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.
Having won two of his three juvenile starts, the Wootton Bassett colt blew his rivals away on his reappearance in Chester’s Dee Stakes and the decision to head to France for his Derby bid paid off as he led home a Ballydoyle one-two-three in the Prix du Jockey Club five weeks ago.
Aidan O’Brien also fielded the Chantilly runner-up Hawk Mountain and the pacesetting Flushing Meadows in his bid for a 10th Eclipse success, but it was all about one horse, with 8/11 favourite Constitution River turning on the after burners once given his head to pull three lengths clear of the chasing pack under Ryan Moore.
Donnacha O’Brien’s French Derby fourth A Boy Named Susie improved on that result with a strong-finishing effort to grab second, with Hawk Mountain third.
More to follow…
Tattycoram lands Lancashire Oaks
Tattycoram confined perennial bridesmaid Tiffany to the runner-up spot yet again in the Betway Lancashire Oaks at Newmarket.
Having been placed in four consecutive outings at Group One level before filling the runner-up spot on her seasonal debut in France three weeks ago, the Sir Mark Prescott-trained Tiffany looked to have been found an excellent opportunity to claim her first victory in almost two years in the hands of Luke Morris.
A 5/4 favourite for a Group Two contest transferred to the July course due to ongoing ground issues at Haydock, the six-year-old was soon bowling along in front in a first-time visor and Morris kicked for home with two furlongs to run in an attempt to draw the finish out of his rivals.
But Ralph Beckett’s 11/2 shot Tattycoram, making her first appearance since winning a Listed prize at Goodwood at the start of May, was stronger at the finish under Eddy Greatrex and really asserted late on, with four-and-a-half lengths the winning margin in a course-record time.
Speaking from Sandown, Beckett said: “It was a good effort. She was a filly we finished early last year hoping she would develop from three to four and it looks like that is the case.
“She went into a little dip after winning the Daisy Warwick [at Goodwood], hence the two-month break, but I was easy about that and this was always a race that I felt would set up well for her.
“She’s a good filly and we’ll go straight to the Yorkshire Oaks, I would imagine.”
Prescott was not making any excuses for the vanquished favourite, saying: “Mr Sangster’s filly (owner of Miss Justice) was exactly the same distance or slightly further behind us today than she was in Chantilly last time, so the available form is she’s run to form, but I suppose when you’re six you’re not coming forward any more.
“She’s still very good, but not quite good enough. I think she’d be better with a tiny bit [of cut in the ground], but I don’t put that as an excuse, just that beastly Mr Beckett has gone past us!”
