Jockey James Doyle said G1 St James's Palace S. winner Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) would cope with the 1 1/4-mile distance of next Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse, should connections decide to go that route. Barney Roy lost his unbeaten record when second to Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas but turned the tables on that rival last week at Royal Ascot. He has yet to race beyond a mile.
“He is a horse on the way up wherever he goes next, whether it be the Eclipse or the Jacques le Marois,” Doyle said of the Godolphin colourbearer trained by Richard Hannon. “I think they are talking about the Eclipse. His last furlong sectionals at Ascot were pretty impressive. He is a horse that takes time to get rolling. I think the mile-and-a-quarter at Sandown would be fine for him. Obviously connections have to sit down and make a plan and I've not spoken to anyone about it yet.”
Also under consideration for the Eclipse is Flaxman Stables's Ulysses (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), third in last week's G1 Prince of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot. Alan Cooper, racing manager for Flaxman Stables, said, “He came out of the Prince of Wales's S. very well. [Trainer] Sir Michael [Stoute] will be giving his recommendations over the weekend as to whether we look at the Eclipse or give him a bit more time.”
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