Bet on the Eclipse Stakes with totesport
The historic Eclipse Stakes is always a thrilling betting event with totesport, as the three-year-old Classic generation meet older horses for the first time in the season at Group 1 level.
The Sandown Park contest is run in early July over a distance of a mile-and-a-quarter, and is a race for the connoisseur to savour.
First run in 1886, the testing Sandown track places stamina at a premium as the runners climb a steep incline from the home turn to the winning line through the final three furlongs. The demanding nature of the right-handed track ensures that horses who stay up to a mile-and-a half are often allowed to take their chance.
Totesport’s ante-post book on the Eclipse opens some months before the race itself, offering the very best value in the market and being constantly updated to reflect the progression of the leading candidates leading up to raceday.
Amongst the outstanding horses to land the Eclipse in the pre-war era, Isinglass (1894) could be argued to be the most talented, having won the ‘Triple Crown’ the year before and been the outstanding prize-money earner of his generation. In 1939 the three-year-old Blue Peter landed a famous victory having earlier in the season won both the 2,000 Guineas and The Derby.
Ballymoss in 1958 and St Paddy (1961) were two more outstanding horses to have won the Sandown feature, whilst in the modern era a string of household favourites etched their names onto the Eclipse roll of honour: Mill Reef (1971) Brigadier Gerard (1972), Sadlers Wells (1984), Pebbles (1985) and Dancing Brave (1986).
Trainer Alec Stewart sent out Mtoto to land back-to-back victories in 1987/8, and the feat was repeated the following decade when Halling scored in both 1995 & 1996 for Godolphin.
The 2007 victory of Sir Michael Stoute’s Notnowcato was amongst the most extraordinary in the history of the race as jockey Ryan Moore made a beeline for the stands rail coming off the home turn and raced in splendid isolation to defeat Derby winner Authorized and the enigmatic but ill fated George Washington in a sensational finish. The Tote Exacta on the race paid £14.60, significantly more than the Computer Straight Forecast dividend of just £11.46.
Trainers Sir Michael Stoute (4 wins), Saeed bin Suroor (4 wins), and Aidan O’ Brien (3 wins) have dominated the race over the last 15 years and punters would be well advised to give their representatives in the race the utmost respect and consideration.
As well as offering ante-post prices on the Eclipse, totesport also offer a range of unrivalled betting opportunities on the day of the race that give the punter more choice and variety then any of our competitors. So, whether you want to bet at traditional odds or via the Tote, totesport should always be your first choice, either in the high street, via the telephone or on the internet at totesport.com.
