First Blood to the Older Generation as Ulysses takes The Eclipse
In what is often built up as the most intriguing part of the Flat Campaign, the three year old generation took on their elders for the first time in a Group One affair on Saturday in the Coral Eclipse at Sandown. Despite the punters favouring the younger generation for the race, it was the Sir Michael Stoute trained four year old Ulysses who dug deep to deny Barney Roy in a pulsating finish.
In fact, it was an incident filled Coral Eclipse and one that top trainer Aidan O'Brien will most likely want to forget as quickly as possible. This is due to the horror route endured by favourite Cliffs of Moher. Ryan Moore must have known his fate early doors when he was badly checked at the first turn. To make things worse for O'Brien, it was fellow inmate Taj Mahal in the hands of Padraig Beggy who was the instigator of a domino effect check which hampered the favourite the most, Beggy got himself an eight day ban from the stewards for his actions.
It was the slightly forgotten horse of the race that sprung a minor surprise at the odds of 8/1. Ulysses has been a horse that always looked as if a big race was in him but a combination of injuries, ground and a tendency to not find too much in front or off the bridle have led him to becoming labelled as a nearly horse. However, The Eclipse was finally the big race we all knew he had in him. In a superb rhythm throughout, Ulysses was always going the best in the race and took up the running a furlong from home. The result was nowhere near as easy as one might have thought a furlong from home with Jim Crowley having to get stuck in on an idling Ulysses who almost got chinned by a rallying Barney Roy.
The current three year old form from the early season Classics has left a lot to be desired in my opinion with various knocks and reversals of most of the big race form. The only form I see as anything approaching solid is that of the English 2000 Guineas as Churchill and Barney Roy seem pretty reliable sorts if one is to forgive Churchill for a clearly below par Royal Ascot run. Barney Roy further solidified that Guineas form with an extremely brave performance to be denied by a flared nostril by Ulysses for this crown of the Eclipse. Anyone who doubted Richard Hannon's colts stamina were proved wrong with Barney Roy staying all the way to the line and coming back at the winner in the final strides, it was race that indicated that there should be further success for this horse later in the season.
At this stage I would be loathed to think that I could call this year's Derby or Irish Derby as a solid form proposition. Infact I would sense that fans of Highland Reel will be eager to see this horse in action against the younger pretenders as he already safely holds Ulysses on Royal Ascot form. Perhaps the globetrotting Highland Reel can sign off his illustrious career by going one better in this year's Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe. I for one at this stage would think he has every chance of doing so.