Twelve months ago, the Coral Eclipse produced a thrilling finish as Delacroix edged out old rival Ombudsman by a neck, with Ryan Moore delivering another masterclass in the saddle.
The victory handed trainer Aidan O’Brien a third consecutive Eclipse success and a record-extending ninth overall.
O’Brien looks set to play another leading role in 2026, with Hawk Mountain and Constitution River among the horses he could saddle in Saturday’s showpiece at Sandown Park.
As most racing fans will know, the Coral Eclipse is one of the few races where the Classic generation gets the chance to take on their older rivals.
Three-year-olds receive a valuable 10lb weight allowance, while three-year-old fillies benefit from a further 2lb on top of that.
Run over 1m2f, Sandown’s premier race takes place this year on Saturday, July 4.
Alongside its prestigious Group One status, the Eclipse offers a winner’s prize of £567,000 from a total purse of £1 million.
Even finishing second brings a handsome reward. Last year’s runner-up Ombudsman collected £215,000, while third-placed Ruling Court took home £107,600.
Coral Eclipse Stakes Trends
- 24/24 – Won by a horse aged 5 or younger
- 20/24 – Had at least 2 runs already that season
- 19/24 – Won by a previous Group One winner
- 19/24 – Placed favourites
- 18/24 – Placed in their last race
- 17/24 – Raced between 2 and 3 times that season
- 12/24 – Raced at Royal Ascot last time out (four won there)
- 12/24 – Favourites that won
- 9/24 – Won by an Irish-trained horse
- 8/24 – Trained by Aidan O’Brien (9 in total)
- 7/24 – Raced in the Epsom Derby that season
- 5/24 – Ridden by Ryan Moore
- 4/24 – Trained by John Gosden (4 of last 13)
- 10 of the last 19 winners won last time out
- 3 of the last 17 Epsom Derby winners of that season went onto win the race
- The last 6 year-old to win the race was in 1886
- 18 of out the last 21 winners had run in the previous 35 days
- 16 out of the last 21 winners were Group 1 winners
- 20 of the last 21 winners came from the first four in the betting
- 18 out of the last 21 winners had won over 1m 2f or further
- The average winning SP in the last 24 runnings is 7/2
Other Coral Eclipse Stakes Trainer Facts
- Aidan O’Brien won the race in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2021, 2011, 2008, 2005, 2002 & 2000.
- Godolphin-owned horses have won the race in 2004, 1998, 1996, 1995, 2016 & 2020
- Trainer John Gosden has won 4 of the last 13 runnings (2012, 2015, 2018 & 2019)
Coral Eclipse Details 2026
📅 Date: Saturday 4th July 2026
⌚ Time: 3:35pm
🏇 Racecourse: Sandown
🔄 Trip: 1m2f
💷 Winner:£560,000
📺 TV: Racing TV /ITV4
Eclipse Stakes Has A Lot Of History
First staged in 1886, the Coral Eclipse has a rich heritage and remains one of racing’s longest-running sponsored events, with Coral backing the race continuously since 1976.
It’s also a contest that Aidan O’Brien has made very much his own.
The Ballydoyle maestro is the most successful trainer in Eclipse history with nine victories, having landed the last three renewals with Delacroix, Paddington and City Of Troy. Delacroix’s success in 2025 also extended another notable trend.
It was the fifth consecutive victory for a three-year-old and the eighth since 2015, underlining just how dominant the Classic generation has become in recent years.
Coral Eclipse Stakes Trends and Stats 2026
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the key Coral Eclipse trends that have emerged over the years. Saturday’s race will also be shown live on the ITV4 Racing schedule.
Age
The Eclipse is open to horses aged three and upwards, but older runners have found it increasingly difficult to come out on top.
By the time many horses reach six, they’re often retired to stud, and the statistics reflect that.
Every one of the last 24 winners has been aged five or younger. Remarkably, there’s been only one six-year-old winner in the race’s history-Bendigo, who landed the inaugural running back in 1886. As already mentioned, the last five winners have all been three-year-olds.
It’s worth remembering that three-year-olds receive a 10lb allowance from older colts and geldings, and 7lb from mares aged four and above.
Since 2009, 16 of the last 18 winners have been either three or five years old, giving those two age groups an impressive 89% strike-rate.
Recent Run
Race fitness has also proved a significant factor.
An impressive 83% of the last 24 winners had already raced at least twice that season, while 71% had made either two or three starts before lining up in the Eclipse. Recent form is equally important.
Eighteen of the last 24 winners had finished in the first three on their previous outing. Looking a little closer, 10 of those 19 horses (53%) arrived at Sandown on the back of a victory.
Royal Ascot and Derby Form
Another trend worth keeping an eye on is horses coming from either Royal Ascot or the Epsom Derby, with both meetings taking place just a few weeks before the Eclipse.
With this year’s race falling slightly later in the calendar, the extra recovery time could make this angle even more significant.
Exactly 12 of the last 24 Eclipse winners had run at Royal Ascot beforehand, with four completing the Royal Ascot-Eclipse double.
Paddington achieved the feat in 2023, following up his St James’s Palace Stakes victory with success at Sandown.
Meanwhile, 29% of the last 24 winners had contested the Epsom Derby earlier that season. Since 2009, three Derby winners have gone on to complete the double-Sea The Stars (2009), Golden Horn (2015) and City Of Troy (2024).
Group One Winning Form
Proven Group One ability is another strong pointer.
Nineteen of the last 24 winners (79%) had already won at the highest level before adding the Eclipse to their CV.
Most of the leading contenders will tick that box, but it’s still worth noting when assessing horses stepping up in class for the first time.
Favourites
Market leaders have an excellent recent record. Twelve of the last 24 favourites have justified their position at the head of the betting, producing a healthy 50% strike-rate.
Even when they’ve been beaten, they’ve rarely been far away, with 19 of the last 24 favourites finishing in the places.
Betting Trends
City Of Troy started at a prohibitive 1/4 in 2024, while Paddington was sent off at 8/11 the previous year.
Although Delacroix wasn’t favourite in 2025, he still returned just 3/1, meaning all of the last seven Eclipse winners have started at 3/1 or shorter.
It’s little surprise, then, that the average winning starting price over the last 24 years is just 7/2. More often than not, this is a race where the market gets it right.
That view is reinforced by another striking statistic—20 of the last 21 winners came from the first four in the betting.
In fact, since 2006, only one Eclipse winner has returned at a double-figure price: Mukhadram, who scored at 14/1 in 2014.
Distance
Most contenders will satisfy this trend, but it’s still worth highlighting.
A notable 86% of the last 24 winners had already won over 1m2f or further before their Eclipse success.
Irish Record
French-trained horses broke through again in 2022, but Irish-trained runners have continued to enjoy outstanding success in the race.
In truth, though, that statistic is largely down to one man—Aidan O’Brien. With nine Eclipse victories, including the last three renewals, no trainer has a better record.
The last Irish trainer other than O’Brien to win the race was John Oxx, whose outstanding Sea The Stars triumphed in 2009.
The most recent British-trained winner came from Charlie Appleby’s yard when Ghaiyyath dominated the race in 2020.
Yard Form
Away from O’Brien’s remarkable record, John Gosden has also enjoyed plenty of success in the Eclipse, winning four of the last 13 runnings.
His most recent victory came with the brilliant Enable in 2019. Charlie Appleby, successful in 2016 and 2020, continues to build an impressive record of his own, while the now-retired Sir Michael Stoute and Godolphin have each amassed six Eclipse victories over the years.
Good luck-and hopefully these stats will help your fancy eclipse the opposition!
Coral Eclipse Stakes Past Winners
- 2025 – Delacroix (3/1)
- 2024 – City Of Troy (1/4 fav)
- 2023 – Paddington (8/11)
- 2022 – Vadeni (11/4)
- 2021 – St Mark’s Basilica (Evs fav)
- 2020 – Ghaiyyath (9/4)
- 2019 – Enable (4/6 fav)
- 2018 – Roaring Lion (7/4 fav)
- 2017 – Ulysses (8/1)
- 2016 – Hawkbill (6/1)
WATCH: City Of Troy Winning The 2024 Coral-Eclipse Stakes
