Saxon Goes To Sandown In Eclipse Shake-Up

Aidan O'Brien on Thursday committed 'TDN Rising Star' Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) to Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown in a volte face that has caused a stirring of the mix for the proclaimed “first clash of the generations.” It will also feature the first true clash of the sexes in 2018, with fellow Ballydoyle representative Happily (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) lining up to attempt to confirm the form of her beating of Masar (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) in last year's G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. She will be partnered by Wayne Lordan, with Donnacha O'Brien set to renew his partnership with Saxon Warrior on whom he captured the G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket May 5. In a measure of the operation's continued regard for the GIII Dwyer S. protagonist Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy), Ryan Moore is heading to Belmont Park instead. Saxon Warrior, who was initially due a break according to Aidan O'Brien immediately after finishing third in Saturday's G1 Irish Derby, bids to continue his stable's impressive record of backing up their horses in the past fortnight, with six of The Curragh's Derby meeting's winners from the yard coming back from Royal Ascot duty.

“Obviously he only ran last week, so we haven't done much, but he seems to be in good form,” O'Brien said. “Obviously we're observing him very closely because he only ran last week. If there was anything negative we'd flag it up straight away. We're taking a bit of a chance running him back so close, but we're happy with him. We never thought that dropping back in trip would be a problem to him.”

With the chief older horses conspicuous by their absence in the line-up, the latest renewal looks like being one for the Classic generation and Saxon Warrior's G1 Epsom Derby conqueror Masar even has the 2016 Eclipse hero Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy) as a potential domestique. Trainer Charlie Appleby was far from perturbed about the inclusion of Saxon Warrior in the line-up and said, “I'm pleased Saxon Warrior is running. The Eclipse is known as one of the summer spectacles, so I'm pleased for the race. From our point of view we won't be running away from anything and we think Masar is very much the one to beat.”