The Fugue and Night Of Thunder headline Saturday’s Eclipse Stakes at Sandown in which Frankie Dettori is a surprise booking for Kingston Hill.
Five-year-old The Fugue bids to follow up her victory in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and erase the memory of her dismal run in this race 12 months ago.
The Fugue, trained by John Gosden, finished last behind Al Kazeem last year but went on to win Group Ones at York and Leopardstown in 2013, and has won four times in all the highest level.
She will be taken on by one of the best three-year-old colts around in Night Of Thunder, the 40-1 winner of the 2000 Guineas who has since taken second place behind the Gosden-trained Kingman in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Epsom Derby runner-up Kingston Hill has been declared at the 48-hour final declaration stage, but his participation depends on the state of the ground.
The Roger Varian-trained colt was a late withdrawal from the Irish Derby last weekend because conditions were considered too fast.
If he runs he will be ridden by Dettori for the first time as his usual partner Andrea Atzeni is required at Haydock by owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, who retains the young Italian on all his horses.
Officials at Sandown are forecasting a little rain but have been doing prudent watering in places.
