Hannon: Eclipse conditions suit in-form Barney Roy
Barney Roy will run in Saturday’s Coral-eclipse at Sandown Park despite being one of just five horses left in Sunday’s Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly after yesterday’s forfeit stage.
However, trainer Richard Hannon has confirmed the Eclipse is the number one choice and is hopeful the Excelebration colt will handle the step up to 10 furlongs from a mile.
He said: “He’s going to Sandown, that’s the plan at the moment. He has always run to the line in his races, which makes you think he would get the trip. He gets a 10lb pull off the older horses and has come out of Ascot really well.”
Cliffs of Moher, who was second in the Investec Derby at Epsom is the 7-4 favourite after sustained support this week while Eminent, fourth at Epsom, is a 9-2 chance and trainer Martyn Meade has indicated they will adopt more positive tactics on his son of Frankel.
“He always comes from off the pace. We want to try to get to that two-pole at Sandown and I think we will stay on better than anyone else. If you look back at the history of the Eclipse, it is the horses that are up there at the two-furlong pole that go on. I don’t want the horse to be held up. This time let’s have him handy, use him and prove he is the best horse in the race.”
Trainer Hughie Morrison reports he is feeling frustrated in his attempt to clear his name after being charged with breaching the rules of racing by the British Horseracing Authority after his horse Our Little Sister failed a drugs test.
The East Ilsley trainer, who could lose his licence for anything between a year and 10 years if found guilty, has fiercely denied any wrongdoing and has offered a £10,000 cash reward for anyone that can help prove his innocence.
“The wheels of the BHA turn slowly. We are waiting to hear because they are very slow at giving us information,” said Morrison.
“We’re trying to get disclosure from them and it’s like trying to get blood out of a stone.
“We’re trying to get things which might help to find the culprit. The most stressful thing is it is costing me a huge amount of money on legal letters trying to get information. The process is very slow because we can’t get the information we feel we need.”
The BHA’S head of media Robin Mounsey said: “We are working with him and it’s an ongoing investigation. There’s nothing more we can add to that.”