3 minute read

City Of Troy will face seven rivals as he bids to become the first horse since Golden Horn to complete the Epsom Derby-Coral Eclipse double at Sandown on Saturday.

Aidan O'Brien's colt was disappointing when long odds-on for the 2000 Guineas on his seasonal reappearance before bouncing back in tremendous style to land the Epsom Derby last month.

The son of Justify is as short as 2/5 to claim yet another Group 1 prize for team Ballydoyle in the ten-furlong Sandown feature, with stablemate and likely pacesetter Hans Andersen also declared.

French 2000 Guineas runner-up Dancing Gemini could only get within eight-and-a-quarter lengths of the superstar City Of Troy when the pair met at Epsom, but Roger Teal will be hoping his colt can bridge the gap this time around. Roger Teal's contender will be partnered by Kieran Shoemark for the first time with regular pilot Dylan Brown McMonagle obliged to ride the Joseph O'Brien-trained Al Riffa, who was last seen finishing well held in America.

Clive Cox's Ghostwriter has finished fourth in both the 2000 Guineas and French Derby this season and he'll be joined by Andrew Balding's Coronation Stakes fifth See The Fire, who also represents leading owner Jeff Smith.

Brian Meehan will be hoping his Hampton Court Stakes winner Jayarebe can take the step up in grade in his stride, while the Hughie Morrison-trained Stay Alert completes the field of eight as she's turned out just a week after finishing a well-beaten fifth in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh.

As connections stated would be the case, White Birch was not declared following unsatisfactory blood results yesterday afternoon.