Dettori hopeful for `unknown` Equerry

Frankie Dettori is hopeful that 'unknown horse' Equerry can shine in Saturday`s Coral Eurobet Eclipse Stakes - although he admits

Aidan O`Brien`s Hawk Wing is still very much the one to beat.

Both horses were among seven to stand their ground for the #325,000 highlight at today`s final declaration stage.

O`Brien`s Sagitta 2000 Guineas and Vodafone Derby runner-up remains 1-2 favourite with the sponsors but Dettori is hoping the unbeaten Equerry can run a big race in the famous blue colours of Godolphin.

'He`s really an unknown horse for us. He`s very hard to train in a way because he always works on his own and is very head-strong,' the Italian rider told attheraces today.

'We really haven`t go an absolute 100 per cent line on him. What he`s done so far he`s done well. He`s won his Group Threes and now

he`s stepping up into big company.

'He`s a horse that`s never really been with the big guns in the stable because he`s little bit quirky and he works on his own so we`re not sure of his ability but we`ll find out for sure on Saturday.

'We`re taking a chance really.

'We`ve got to give 11bs to a Derby second - a very good horse who was second in the Guineas - I can`t see past Hawk Wing.

'It doesn`t matter how the ground is going to be because it was soft the day we ran in the Derby and he handles any track and the mile and a quarter should be what he wants.

'He`ll be a very hard horse to beat on Saturday but the more rain we get the more a test of stamina it will become and it will suit the older horses because they are a little bit stronger to go through that ground.'

Plenty of rain may be good news for Dettori but may mean that No Excuse Needed could yet miss the weekend`s clash of the generations.

Connections feel the Queen Anne Stakes winner is at his best on fast ground and trainer Sir Michael Stoute warned: 'No Excuse Needed has been declared for the race but will not run if there is further rain.'

Coral Eurobet Eclipse,sponsors betting: 1-2 Hawk Wing, 5-1 Equerry, 11-2 No Excuse Needed, 8-1 Indian Creek, 14-1 Bach, 25-1 Sholokhov, 50-1 Imperial Dancer.

Ladbrokes: 4-9 Hawk Wing, 4-1 Equerry, 9-1 Indian Creek, 10-1 No Excuse Needed, 16-1 Bach, Sholokhov, 66-1 Imperial Dancer.