Constitution River oozes class in Eclipse stroll

Constitution River further enhanced his growing reputation with a dominant display in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

Having won two of his three juvenile starts, the Wootton Bassett colt blew his rivals away on his reappearance in Chester’s Dee Stakes and the decision to head to France for his Derby bid paid off as he led home a Ballydoyle one-two-three in the Prix du Jockey Club five weeks ago.

Aidan O’Brien also fielded the Chantilly runner-up Hawk Mountain and the pacesetting Flushing Meadows in his bid for a 10th Eclipse success, but it was all about one horse, with 8-11 favourite Constitution River turning on the after burners once given his head to pull three lengths clear of the chasing pack under Ryan Moore.

Donnacha O’Brien’s French Derby fourth A Boy Named Susie improved on that result with a strong-finishing effort to grab second, with Hawk Mountain third.