The Eclipse Stakes is a Group One flat race for three-year-old and above thoroughbreds run over a distance of 1 mile 2 furlongs and 7 yards at Sandown Park.

The race first took place in 1886 and is named after the great 18^th century racehorse Eclipse. The race has been sponsored by Coral’s since 1976 and is the longest sponsorship in English horse racing.

The Eclipse is traditionally the race when the top horses from the classic generation (three-year-olds) meet older horses for the first time. It is a high quality race, often attracting both Newmarket and Epsom Classic winners.

Sadly there are no Classic winners from this particular season among the eight declared runners on Saturday, however the 2017 Oaks scorer and two-time Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Enable brings all the class to the table in this thoroughly intriguing contest.

Fresh from predicting the first two home in the 2019 Northumberland Plate, I will take you through all the runners and riders ahead of this weekend's Eclipse horse racing preview.

 

Dancetaria (D. Menuisier)

Danceteria won four handicaps on the trot last year and started this season off with a win in the Prix Jacques Laffitte, before a third place finish in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown Park.

He has since followed up with a win in the La Coupe at Longchamp on June 10th which was his best result to date. Firm ground is a slight concern but he could easily outrun his current odds of 50/1.

 

Hunting Horn (A. O'Brien)

When you get a freaky result like that of Sovereign last weekend, then you can never say never to an O’Brien runner causing an upset in a race of this nature. It’s happened in the past and it will do so again in the future.

However, to believe that this son of Camelot will do the same thing as Sovereign requires a massive leap of faith. I do believe this horse will be the pacesetter for Magical and nothing else – sorry!

 

Mustashry (Sir M. Stoute)

Mustashry was victorious in Newbury's Lockinge Stakes on his penultimate start in May but was never a factor in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot.

Mustashry is however a course-and-distance winner and won the Gala Stakes (Listed) here on his one and only try and this trip. The Shadwell-bred gelding should not be underestimated though and could easily run into a place.

 

Regal Reality (Sir M. Stoute)

Regal Reality dealt with a step up in class in fine style by landing the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown and looks like a colt going places.

Stoute is bidding to land this 1m2f contest for a record-breaking seventh time and has employed the services of Australian riding sensation, Kerrin McEvoy.

There is every chance that he might just bring home the bacon for Stoute and give him yet another Eclipse Stakes.

 

Zabeel Prince (R. Varian)

Roger Varian’s six-year-old Zabeel Prince showed plenty of potential in his first two runs of this season, winning the Earl Of Sefton Stakes and the Prix d’Ispahan.

Conditions at Ascot for the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes appear not to have been his cup of tea and he could quite easily bounce back from that disappointing run at the Royal meeting.

The Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum-owned six-year-old should be seen to better effect on this surface on Saturday.

 

Enable (J. Gosden)

Enable begins her quest for an unprecedented third Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe by running here and there is no reason to believe that she won’t be A1 for this race on her seasonal return.

John Gosden has given Enable all the time she needs to be ready, having passed over the Coronation Cup as well as a couple of other targets at the Royal Ascot meeting.

This is the race they have opted for and this will be the litmus test as to where she is this season in terms of her Arc preparation.Knowing Gosden and his precise training methods, there is very little chance that Enable will be arriving here without being match fit- he just doesn’t do that.

Enable is racing at ten furlongs for the first time since her 2017 reappearance when she got beaten at Newbury, and if there is ever a time a punter feels a horse is vulnerable to defeat then it’s always the first time out run.

However, this filly is top class and she isn’t going to relinquish a run of nine wins on the bounce that easily.

 

Magical (A. O'Brien)

Aidan O’Brien’s daughter of Galileo was just nostrilled out of it by Enable in the Breeders’ Cup Turf when they last met and many pundits believe she can exact her revenge on Saturday.

Three Group wins in Ireland in April and May were followed up by Magical playing second fiddle to Crystal Ocean in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot but she can be forgiven the ground conditions there.

Magical, who would be giving O’Brien a record-equaling sixth win in the race, looks one the most likely candidates in this field to push Enable all the way.

 

Telecaster (H. Morrison)

This year’s Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes winner Telecaster will need to bounce back quickly from his Derby flop where he was well backed 5/1 shot.

The three-year-old beat a field containing the likes of Too Darn Hot, Japan and Turgenev in the Dante, so we all know that he has bags of ability. He just needs to unzip it again on Saturday afternoon.

 

Eclipse Stakes 2019: Conclusion

Unfortunately I cannot offer you anything like the £177.44 reversed-forecast I landed last week which had me reaching for the betting calculator, however if you were to press me for a winner and a runner-up I would side with Regal Reality to chase home the wonder filly, Enable.

888Sport suggests: Enable (win)

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

Team USA are well fancied to retain the Women’s World Cup trophy on Sunday afternoon but you won’t find many fans writing the Netherlands off just yet. On paper, there is a clear gulf in class but you can never know in sport…

An entertaining clash awaits in Lyon this weekend and supporters across the Atlantic Ocean will be hoping that the United States, priced at 2/5 with 888sport to win in 90 minutes, can cope with the weight of expectation.

With a 100% record so far this summer, Team USA are on the verge of something special. Jill Ellis’ side have won their last 11 World Cup matches in a row and punters will be expecting the defending champions to prove too strong for the Netherlands.

England pushed the United States earlier this week but Phil Neville’s side fell just short. Even the most ardent Lionesses fan will admit that Team USA dominated the early stages and the game could’ve been over before half-time but for some haphazard finishing.

Despite their woes in front of goal, Team USA still covered the 1.5 goals margin – which was our tipster’s best bet ahead of the World Cup semi-finals. 888sport customers can back the United States at 4/7 to score two or more on Sunday afternoon.

However, the Netherlands had won five on the spin before needing extra-time to get past Sweden. Jackie Groenen’s 99^th minute strike was the difference between the two teams on that occasion and Holland would certainly take another one-nil this weekend.

The 2017 European champions have flourished on the big stage this summer and another big performance could be on the cards. The Netherlands will need all of their key players to perform in order to stand any chance of recording an upset.

Vivianne Miedema has bagged three goals at the 2019 Women’s World Cup and plenty of punters will fancy her to score on Sunday. At 7/2, the Arsenal forward is well priced and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see her wreak havoc upfront.

The Netherlands are a decent team and 3/5 for Holland to force three or more corners is a solid betting pick. Yes, the United States are clear favourites but they are by not invincible by any means. Expect a close contest that goes right down to the wire…

If you fancy the defending champions to run riot, the 27/20 for Team USA to score in both halves is the way to go. With Megan Rapinoe potentially set to return from injury, this one could get ugly for the Netherlands if the United States take an early lead.

Team USA have looked far from assured defensively at times this tournament and Holland will be quietly confident of creating chances in this contest. Both teams to score looks well priced at 11/10 in 888sport’s football betting odds.

But the best bet of all is for the United States to win with both teams scoring. This has been a successful wager in all three knockout fixtures and the 13/5 for Team USA to win and both teams to score represents incredible value given their recent record.

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

Ronnie O’Sullivan is unquestionably the most famous snooker player on the planet. The Rocket has featured among the most successful British sportspeople of the last 20 years, boasting a trophy cabinet unrivalled in the sport.

His standing in the world game over the course of his career has been without doubt. Comparing O’Sullivan to the greats of decades past is an altogether different question.

Like matching Lionel Messi with Diego Maradona or LeBron James with Oscar Robertson, comparisons over different eras are nigh on impossible. O’Sullivan, though, is thought of by many as the greatest to play the game. Here are five reasons why…

 

Pure Entertainment Value

There are few, if any, bigger characters in sport than The Rocket. O’Sullivan is an entertainer whether he’s at the table, being interviewed or messing around in front of the camera.

He doesn’t take himself too seriously, and it has earned him several positions in the media, including with Eurosport.

O’Sullivan has his own show – called, imaginatively, ‘The Ronnie O’Sullivan Show’ – and will often be a pundit in events he isn’t taking part in alongside fellow snooker star Jimmy White.

While he is ultra critical of himself and an extreme perfectionist, O’Sullivan still brings a sense of fun to the table. The blend of his astonishing raw talent with his unpredictable nature makes him one of sport’s true entertainers.

 

Ambidextrous

As a right-hander, O’Sullivan is commonly labelled a genius. Often considered the most gifted player in the sport’s history, his ability with one hand is unmatched.

Then, let’s add to that the ridiculous fact that O’Sullivan is just as exceptional with his left. Certain shots require him to switch hands, and he’ll use his ambidextrousness in a practical way. Sometimes, he’ll switch hands just because he can.

There are instances when The Rocket has made century breaks left-handed in competitive matches. That is just absurd, isn’t it?

It’s one thing being the best in the world with one hand, but who knows how good O’Sullivan would be if he was forced to play as a lefty.

 

Endless List Of Records

Snooker’s Triple Crown is made up of the World Championships, Masters and UK Championships. O’Sullivan has won 19 of those events, which is more than any other player in history, despite suffering a disappointing early exit at the 2019 World Snooker Championship.

Stephen Hendry shares the most ranking titles honour with O’Sullivan at 36, but that probably won’t last for long. No player has earned more than the £10 million that The Rocket has pocketed for his various successes.

He recently made it to 1,000 career century breaks (that’s 225 more than anyone else!), and got the fastest 147 ever back in 1997.

The list could go on. It’s impossible to talk about greatness without discussing what has been won – and O’Sullivan dominates snooker’s record books. Check out 888sport’s snooker news and betting tips to see if O’Sullivan can add to his tally.

 

Speed Of His Play

O’Sullivan has been critical of slow, tactical snooker. He believes long frames harm the sport and are no fun to watch. Some fans will disagree with that, of course, but there’s no doubting that O’Sullivan plays at a pace few others can match.

Always aggressive and looking to take on attacking shots, O’Sullivan at his best will race around the table, quickly calculating the next several shots before playing his current one.

It’s a whirlwind of deadeye potting and perfect positioning when he’s on top form, which makes him a superb break builder. Opponents rarely get back to the table if they give The Rocket an opening.

Simply put, snooker is better off for O’Sullivan’s involvement. His commitment to putting on a show has helped snooker’s standing in the United Kingdom and beyond.

 

Longevity At The Top

Last but not least, we’ve got to mention the staying power of O’Sullivan at the top of the game.

Despite flirting with leaving the sport in the past – and recently saying to Radio 4, "If I had my time over again, I definitely wouldn't choose snooker as a sport to pursue” - he remains the dominant force at the top of the sport.

O’Sullivan first become world number one in 2002, two seasons after his first world title. He is back at the top of the rankings right now, and is one of the favourites to win the World Championships in 2020 with many betting sites.

Accumulating all those trophies obviously takes time (and it helps that he turned professional at 16), but remaining as the best in the world for two decades is a remarkable feat in any sport.

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*