Prize money for Coral-Eclipse rises to record £750,000

Ulysses, right, pipped Barney Roy in the Eclipse last summer. Picture: Racingfotos.com

Coral’s sponsorship of the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park has been extended for a further five years, it was announced on Tuesday, and the Group 1 contest, known as the clash of the generations, will now be run for a record £750,000.

The prize-money increase of £250,000, above 2017’s £500,000 total, is via investment by Coral and The Jockey Club.

This significant increase is a reflection of the high quality of runners the QIPCO British Champions Series race has attracted in recent years and seeks to preserve the appeal of the race both domestically and on the international stage.

Last year’s renewal was an epic, with Ulysses beating Barney Roy by a nose. This year’s running is on July 7.

The Coral-Eclipse is the longest-running sponsored Pattern race in Britain. The 2018 renewal will be the 43rd running as the Coral-Eclipse and this new extension sees the relationship run through to 2022.

Sandown Park’s flagship flat race is run over 1m 2f and is the first opportunity for the three-year-old Classic generation to take on older horses at Group 1 level.

Phil White, London Regional Director for Jockey Club Racecourses, said: “We are delighted Coral have extended their partnership with us.

“This is one of the longest-running sponsorships in British racing and we are hugely grateful to Coral for their long and continued support.

“Their enthusiasm and commitment to the Grade 1 race has enabled us to increase the prize money for this year’s race to record levels.

“I am thrilled that this year’s running will be the richest Coral-Eclipse ever run and am pleased to say that in line with The Jockey Club’s prize money announcement at the end of last year, we continue to invest in prize money at all levels of the racing programme at Sandown Park.”

He added: “The Coral-Eclipse is the pinnacle of Sandown Park’s flat racing calendar and we look forward to another exciting renewal this year.”