Front-Running Golden Horn Rolls in Eclipse
Description:
Investec Epsom Derby (Eng-I) victor Golden Horn stayed undefeated July 4 when pulling away to a dominant front-running victory in the Coral Eclipse (Eng-I) at Sandown.
Runner-up The Grey Gatsby engaged Golden Horn down the stretch in the 1 1/4-mile race, but the winner easily asserted himself for Frankie Dettori in the closing stages. With only 150 yards remaining, the Cape Cross colt surged clear to a 3 1/2-length triumph, his fifth win from as many career starts.
Former French classic winner The Grey Gatsby, a nose second in the Prince of Wales's (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot last time out, had to settle for the runner-up position again. Golden Horn's stablemate Western Hymn was 4 1/2 lengths back in third in the five-horse field. Cougar Mountain and Tullius completed the order of finish.
Golden Horn was timed in 2:05.77 on firm turf.
Off a touch slow, Golden Horn quickly made the lead, setting a strong pace, with The Grey Gatsby closely tracking under Jamie Spencer. When his older rival took him on in a spirited stretch duel, Golden Horn ultimately proved far superior.
"He was pushed today," Dettori told Racing Post about the winner, who carried 10 pounds less than his four older rivals. "I had an easy lead, but Jamie was very clever. He attacked early, he eyeballed me, but the horse showed what a true champion he is. He has a lot of guts and was going away at the end."
Trained by John Gosden for owner/breeder Anthony Oppenheimer, Golden Horn could next start in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Eng-I, July 25 at Ascot) depending on how he comes out of Saturday's race.
"The horse will tell us," Gosden said. "It's my job to watch, see, and feel how he is, but if he's well then the King George is obviously an option. If it's a dance too far then we will wait. He's not in the Arc (Fr-I, Oct. 4 at Longchamp), but I think he will be an Arc horse unless it comes up bottomless, but that's getting a long way a long way ahead of ourselves."
In winning the Eclipse, Golden Horn emulated paternal half brother Sea The Stars, who captured the race in 2009 after taking the Derby.
Golden Horn won the listed Feilden Stakes at Newmarket in April to start his 2015 campaign and cemented Derby favoritism with a clear win over Jack Hobbs in the Dante Stakes in May at York. He then defeated that rival, eventual the Irish Derby (Ire-I) winner, in the Epsom Derby June 6.
The unraced Dubai Destination mare Fleche d'Or, a half sister to group I winner and stakes producer Rebecca Sharp, is the dam of Golden Horn. He is half brother to group II-placed stakes winner Eastern Belle, by Champs Elysees.