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Farhh can defy Godolphin pessimism in Eclipse

The late defection of would-be favourite So You Think from the Eclipse (3.45 Sandown) detracts hugely from the contest, leaving a much more wide-open race. When winning the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, Aidan O’Brien’s colt had the fast-finishing Farhh, who has assumed favouritism, back in third place.

The last-named looked unlucky in running, having been stopped in his run when trying to make a move along the rails. The question of whether or not he would have beaten the winner has long been debated in the aftermath, with the hope that today’s race would go a long way to providing a definitive answer.

But as So You Think jets back to Australia to begin a new career at stud, that will forever remain unanswered. For what it’s worth, I feel the winner won quite cosily and remain confident he would have confirmed the form.

His absence leaves Farhh with a lesser field to deal with but it does include last year’s King George winner, Nathaniel.

John Gosden’s four-year-old is being aimed at the defence of his King George crown and the trainer has voiced concerns that the two races come very close together.

The horse missed his intended starting point in the Brigadier Gerard and there must be a strong chance that he will, if not need the run, certainly be better for it.

Roger Charlton’s Cityscape has long been highly regarded but this is his first step up to ten furlongs.

He won the Dubai Duty Free at Meydan over nine furlongs but benefited from a fine ride from James Doyle. Also, while he won very well, he didn’t beat a lot.

Today’s ground shouldn’t be a problem but the trip will take some getting and odds of 11-2 don’t jump off the page.

Bonfire was a real disappointment in the Epsom Derby but that may have been a combination of the fast ground and the unconventional track.

His high-class juvenile form was on testing ground and I would expect a much improved effort this time. The drop back to 10 furlongs is also in his favour but he still has a little to prove.

`Monterosso’s progress on turf came to a halt in the 2010 Irish Derby, when he finished fourth behind Cape Blanco, but he ran out an impressive winner of the Dubai World Cup last time. That came on the Tapeta surface and the return to grass may not be in his favour.

Italian import Crackerjack King is hard to assess but his sole defeat came on his only trip abroad, when second last in the 2011 French Derby. He could improve for the move to Marco Botti but he remains an unknown.

Although the Godolphin Team seems pessimistic about his chances, it’s hard to get away from Farhh. He’s fit and well, boasts a progressive profile and the form of his Ascot defeat puts him in the frame here.

There are serious question marks about a number of his rivals and, while there isn’t a guaranteed pacemaker to force a fast pace, he has the class to land the spoils.

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