Sea The Stars shines again in Eclipse

The 2,000 Guineas and Derby hero Sea The Stars once again confirmed his superiority with another stunning performance in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

The son of Cape Cross was emulating Nashwan, the last Derby winner to gain a victory in the Eclipse against older horses back in 1989.

Settled way off a furious early gallop set by Lang Shining and Set Sail, Michael Kinane's mount was always travelling beautifully. Jimmy Fortune, deputising for the suspended Johnny Murtagh, tracked the 4/7 favourite on Rip Van Winkle with Ryan Moore content to sit last of the 10 runners on Conduit.

The race began in earnest turning into the straight with Conduit launching his bid down the outside, although he struggled to get on terms with Sea The Stars and Rip Van Winkle. The two younger horses pulled four and a half lengths clear of last year's St Leger winner but it was Sea The Stars who came out on top by a length.

Kinane said: "He is is so quick out of the stalls with his pace and it was almost as if I hit the front too soon today, but it was hard for me to stop him. When the second horse came at me, he just picked up. You are never going to win by more than two lengths on him, he just does enough.

"I was hoping to be in front at the furlong marker because I know he quickens really well and he doses when he gets there. You don't get many like him, he has so much early pace it is unbelievable."

Winning trainer John Oxx said: "This is what keeps you working. For 19 days out of 20, when you say what are you wasting your time for training racehorses when you can do something easier, these are the moments that keep you going.

"We'll have to have a think about where he goes next. We just go from race to race and we said after the Irish Derby we'd sit down and have a think about the rest of the year, but obviously it is after this race now.

"The Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown would be a major objective for him and we have to figure out what we are going to do in the meantime. There's the King George in three weeks and there is the International at York three weeks after that.

"He comes through his races well and the horse will have a big say where he goes as we'll see how he comes out of this. I can't see him running in two races before the Irish Champion Stakes, I think we'll have to miss one."

Sky Bet and Paddy Power cut the winner to 7-2 for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the former offer 4-7 'with a run' for the King George at Ascot.

There was drama in the winner's enclosure as Sea The Stars' owner Christopher Tsui fainted while awaiting the return of his star performer. He explained: "I think it was a bit too much excitement and it's a bit too warm today, but I'm fine now.

"I was waiting for the horse to come back and it was maybe a bit too warm and I passed out. I have been reading about people doubting Sea The Stars, but now we can all see he's a great horse."

O'Brien was delighted with Rip Van Winkle's run, particularly after he suffered a late injury scare on Thursday. "Jimmy said when he came to challenge he was still very green and a bit babyish as he's only really had a couple of serious races.

"He's had lots of problems and he had a hock the other day which meant we were not sure he would even get here, so we are really happy with his performance."

Conduit is owned by the Ballymacoll Stud and their racing manager Peter Reynolds said: "It was a very good run, although he didn't quite get the run of the race. He was beaten by a very good horse and our fellow is just getting started this season."

Moore added: "He ran a good race but we were just taken back a bit further than I would have liked. Two out I thought he was coming to run them down, but the winner wasn't doing a lot and he kept going. I was happy and there'll be a bit more to come from him."