Shamshon’s Sandown smarts make him Eclipse day Channel 4 nap
Eclipse day is upon us and what a delicious prospect it is along with its six-race supporting card live on Channel 4.
The heavens will have their say on the duel between The Fugue and 2000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder, with rain expected before racing.
But down here on earth us mere mortals have our own banal concerns, paying the damn rent among them.
To this end here are three of the finest betting propositions from across Saturday’s televised action.
NAP – Shamson @ 10/1 – Coral Charge (14:05)
Frankie Dettori has enjoyed a profitable association with Richard Hannon this season in his role as retained rider for Al Shaqab Racing, booting in 10 runners from 34 leg-ups since the start of term.
He’s expected to notch again for the axis in this affair, aboard a son of Invincible Spirit who is unbeaten in three runs over the basement trip, with one of those successes coming over course and distance.
The least exposed colt in the contest, Hannon’s three-year-old will also be the beneficiary of a tidy 5lbs in weight for age concession from Ahtoug, Kingsgate Native and Dinkum Diamond.
NB – Prince of Johanne @ 12/1 – Coral Challenge (14:40)
Ladbrokes are paying four places for this mile contest, but even if they weren’t, the none-more-seasoned handicapper Prince Of Johanne is the kind of wager that should have Fagin rounding up the each-way thieves and sending them scampering down the road to the bookies.
Discount his Ascot run last time out, he was left alone to make his own running in the middle of the track and suffered for it – as a result he’s down 2lbs to 100 in the ratings.
His five past runs off that mark showed the following form figures, 1-2-13-1-3.
Lively Longshot – Tullius @ 33/1 – Coral Eclipse (15:50)
His only previous tilt at 1m2f saw Tullius finish down the field in a 2011 handicap.
Yet Andrew Balding’s six-year-old is in the form of his life after finishing less than three lengths in arrears of Olympic Glory and Kingman in successive Group 1 assignments.
As such it’s unlikely he’s here just for the day out, leading one to believe the yard fancy him for further black type at the highest level.
With the expected downpour likely to have a say in the destination of the laurels, the fact that the Kingsclere inmate has scored at Group 2 level over a mile on soft ground also speaks highly for his chances.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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