Masar faces familiar rivals in Eclipse Stakes
Masar, the 16-1 upset winner of the English Derby on June 2, will start against older horses for the first time in Saturday’s Group 1 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park, outside of London.
While Masar will race against three older horses in the $1,045,200 Eclipse Stakes at about 1 1/4 miles, his biggest rivals are fellow 3-year-olds Roaring Lion and Saxon Warrior.
The 3-year-olds know each other well.
Roaring Lion, trained by John Gosden, was third in the English Derby, beaten two lengths by Masar. Roaring Lion won the Group 2 Dante Stakes for 3-year-olds at York Racecourse at 1 5/16 miles on May 17.
Saxon Warrior, trained by Aidan O’Brien, won the English 2000 Guineas on May 5, with Masar third and Roaring Lion fifth in a field of 14.
Saxon Warrior struggled in June. He was third as the 4-5 favorite in English Derby and third as the even-money favorite in the Irish Derby at the Curragh on June 30.
The older horses in the Eclipse Stakes are not rated as leading contenders. Hawkbill won the $6 million Dubai Sheema Classic in the United Arab Emirates in March, but has lost his last two starts. Cliffs of Moher was second in the 2017 English Derby and third in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 23. Forest Ranger won the Group 2 Huxley Stakes at Chester Racecourse in May.
Masar, an Irish-bred colt by New Approach, has won 4 of 9 starts, all for Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin Racing and trainer Charles Appleby. Masar was sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar last November. Earlier this year, he won the Group 3 Craven Stakes at seven furlongs at Newmarket in a prep for the English 2000 Guineas.
Masar led throughout the Craven and closed from midpack in a field of 12 to win the English Derby at 1 1/2 miles by 1 1/2 lengths over Dee Ex Bee, who was seventh in the Irish Derby.
William Buick, who rode Masar in the English Derby, has the mount on Saturday. As of Thursday, Masar was the 13-8 favorite, while Roaring Lion and Saxon Warrior were both 3-1.