O’Brien’s big guns top Eclipse entries
Rip Van Winkle was second in the event last year to Sea The Stars while if all goes well for St Nicholas Abbey in the StanJames.com 2000 Guineas Stakes and the Investec Derby, he would be following in the exact footsteps of John Oxx’s 2009 champion if he ended up in Esher.
Sandown received 67 entries at the first stage including last year’s Oaks first and second, Sariska and Midday and Dubai heroine Da Re Mi.
Andre Fabre has entered the exciting prospect Cutlass Bay, owned by Godolphin, while their other trainers Saeed bin Suroor and Mahmood Al Zarooni have put in 16 and five respectively.
The other international entry is from Italy in the shape of the Vincenzo Caruso-trained Voila Ici.
Andrew Cooper, director of racing at Sandown, said: “I am thrilled the quality and quantity of the entries is so strong.”
