Heavyweight showdown in the Coral-Eclipse!

Workforce all set to enter the QIPCO British Champions Series fray.  Image courtesy of racingfotos.com

Never mind the Haye vs Klitschko fight in Germany this weekend – the big heavyweight contest will be taking place in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park!

Running in his first QIPCO British Champions Series race of the year is the brilliant winner of last year’s Investec Derby and Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Workforce, who should be primed to run a power-packed race for his trainer, Sir Michael Stoute, and his jockey, Ryan Moore.

But the favourite, So You Think, will be very tough to beat – at least that’s what the punter who placed a £40,000 bet on him a couple of days ago is hoping!

So You Think’s trainer, Aidan O’Brien, blamed himself for not having the much vaunted, ex-Australian star at his peak when he ran last time at Royal Ascot in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

Frankie Dettori and Rewilding just got the better of him that day, but you can expect to see a fully fit So You Think on Saturday afternoon.

A showdown between these two heavyweight superstars would be worth the entrance ticket on Saturday alone. However, to add further spice to the race, also set to line up is the top class filly, Snow Fairy.

She had a scintillating season in 2010, winning the Investec Oaks and the Irish Oaks before embarking on a globetrotting end to the year, winning big races in Japan and Hong Kong for her trainer, Ed Dunlop.

Snow Fairy’s original owner paid just £1,500 for her, yet last year she netted over £2million in prize money – quite the rags-to-riches story!

The field is completed by Sri Putra, who took third place in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, and Workforce’s pacemaker, Confront.

The sense of anticipation will be sky high when this big Middle Distance contest is off at 3.10pm. Tickets will be available at the gate at Sandown Park, in the Surrey town of Esher, but if you can’t make it to the track, then don’t miss it live on Channel 4 and Racing UK.

To view the full race details, CLICK HERE