The July 8 Coral-Eclipse Stakes (G1) at Sandown pits a clutch of the season's top 3-year-olds against some accomplished elders, including Decorated Knight, who was last seen finishing second behind Highland Reel at Royal Ascot.
With Investec Derby (G1) winner Wings of Eagles injured and retired, Derby runner-up Cliffs of Moher, a Galileo colt from the Coolmore partners and Aidan O'Brien's yard, arguably leads the local 3-year-olds in the Coral-Eclipse. Cliffs of Moher came to Epsom off a pair of wins and has had a full month to recover from that effort.
Eminent also has been rested since his fourth-place effort in the Derby, where he might have fared better with a clearer path in the straight. The Frankel colt is trained by Martyn Meade for Sir Peter Vela.
Barney Roy, on the other hand, passed up the Derby after he ran second to Churchill in the Qipco Two Thousand Guineas Stakes (G1). Instead he went on to Royal Ascot, where he won the St. James's Palace Stakes (G1) over Lancaster Bomber. The Excelebration colt, campaigned by Godolphin and trained by Richard Hannon, has never attempted a race longer than one mile and will be asked to go an additional two furlongs in the Coral-Eclipse.
Salouen and Taj Mahal round out the sophomore contingent, with generous odds available on either in antepost wagering.
Decorated Knight, a 5-year-old son of Galileo, won the Betway Winter Derby Trial on the all-weather course at Lingfield in February. But rather than contesting the All-Weather Championship finals on Good Friday over the same course, trainer Roger Charlton sent him to the Meydan turf, where he won the Jebel Hatta Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1). He then finished sixth in the Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World (G1).
He returned to win the Tattersalls Gold Cup (G1) at the Curragh in Ireland, then chased Highland Reel home in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot.
Desert Encounter, Lightning Spear, and Ulysses complete the nine-horse field.
