John Gosden: Mishriff has done it overseas - he's got to do it here now

John Gosden is not underestimating the task facing Mishriff when the four-year-old begins his summer campaign with a clash of the generations in the Coral-Eclipse on Saturday.

Mishriff, who is disputing favouritism with St Mark's Basilica for the Sandown Group 1, began the year with victory in the world's richest race, the $20 million Saudi Cup, before following up in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan.

He faces only three rivals at the Esher track but they include Champion Stakes winner Addeybb and top three-year-old St Mark's Basilica, an impressive winner of two French Classics this season for trainer Aidan O'Brien.

3.35 Sandown Saturday: Coral-Eclipse racecard and betting

"Mishriff wears his heart on his sleeve," said Gosden, who landed the Eclipse with Roaring Lion and Enable in 2018 and 2019. "He's done it in France and the Middle East so he needs to do it in the UK now.

"He trained nicely for the Saudi Cup, was flown home, and then had to train again for the Sheema Classic, when he showed his versatility over different trips and switching between the dirt and the turf.

"This has been the plan for a long time and the idea was to freshen him up and give him every possible chance to come back for our summer programme. We've been happy with his preparation.

"He's done nothing wrong since his first start of last season in the Newmarket Stakes. He's won all his races since in great style bar the Champion Stakes at Ascot, where he struggled on the ground."

Mishriff and Ioritz Mendizabal land the Prix du Jockey Club at ChantillyCredit: Scoop Dyga / France Galop

The four-year-old was beaten in the Champion Stakes by Addeybb, and Gosden, who trains alongside his son Thady, is predicting a real test.

"I've got tonnes of respect for Addeybb," he said Gosden. "He's wonderful and there's talk about some rain on Saturday afternoon, which he'd really enjoy. We're probably happier on anything from good to firm to good to soft.

"The race is a test of the three-year-olds against the older horses and I'm perfectly aware of the task at hand with the best mile-and-a-quarter three-year-old colt in Europe, St Mark's Basilica, running.

"We're hoping for a good race for the purists, something they'll really enjoy, and you'll probably see the outsider, El Drama, beat them all."

There were just seven runners left in the Eclipse at the beginning of the week – which was labelled "stupid" by trainer David Menuisier – but Gosden was less surprised by the small field for the Group 1.

"What people have to realise is it costs a lot of money to enter these races – it's a lot of money at the first forfeit stage and to confirm – and the top three in the market are not easy to take on," he said.

"The other thing to remember when people criticise the field size is the Prince of Wales's Stakes was run only 16 days ago. From my experience, it's hard to go straight to the Eclipse from Royal Ascot.

"Mishriff often tries to get rid of his jockey, which he very nearly did in Riyadh. We'll have to be careful we don't have a loose one before the race as that would really mess it up with only three runners."

David Egan: lifts the Saudi Cup after winning aboard MishriffCredit: Francois Nel

Mishriff will be partnered by David Egan, who is retained by owner Prince Faisal and was on board for his two most recent successes.

The ground at Sandown was on Thursday described as good to soft, good in places on the round course and soft, good to soft in places on the sprint course, but there is rain forecast before Saturday.

"We've had no rain since Tuesday evening, when there was around 6mm, taking the total to an inch of rain [25mm] since Sunday," said clerk of the course Andrew Cooper. "The last two days have been overcast and we adjusted the going on both courses on Thursday.

"I think Friday will be predominantly dry but there's a risk of a scattered shower in most forecasts. There's the potential for more rain on Saturday but it's hard to get a clear handle on the volume."

Read more on the Coral-Eclipse:

Confirmed runners and riders for Saturday's Coral-Eclipse

Mishriff 'has got it all' says jockey David Egan after final spin before Eclipse (Members' Club)

Tom Marquand: Eclipse will be a proper challenge for Addeybb

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