Ecliptic

Ecliptic probably would have won the Group 2 seven-furlong Superlative Stakes at Newmarket on Friday had he not veered badly to the right when coming under pressure inside the final furlong. Mahmood Al Zarooni’s horse took a strong hold through the race, and Ahmed Ajtebi looked reluctant to have him in front, but it turned out that it was the right place to be as the pace was not all that quick. Coming into the final furlong Ajtebi hit him with the stick in his left hand and he veered badly towards the rail and then veered back towards the centre of the track. King Torus kept a fairly straight line and that proved the winning of the race, Ecliptic going down by just a neck in the end.

This Superlative Stakes looked like a good race, King Torus ran well in the Chesham, behind Zaidan, despite racing out in the centre of the track, and Formosina, who was well beaten, had won the Group 2 Railway Stakes on his previous run. Ecliptic was probably a bit under-rated coming into this, he was flattered by the winning margin of his victory in a Sandown maiden, Toolain seemed to have his measure before he unseated his rider late in the race, but the form of the maiden in which Ecliptic made his debut has worked out really well, he was second to Libranno who took the Group 2 July stakes impressively here earlier in the week in a good time and is still probably under-rated himself.

Ecliptic should be able to make his mark in Pattern company in the future and he could be very good in time when the greenness is ironed out. In the meantime he would be interesting if he turned up at Glorious Goodwood for the Vintage Stakes.

9th July 2010