Camelot to bypass Eclipse at Sandown

Camelot will miss Saturday's Group 1 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown with

connections giving the triple classic hero a break. While last year's Two

Thousand Guineas and English and Irish Derby winner will not represent Coolmore

in the 10-furlong feature, it is likely that the operation will be double-handed

with the Queen Anne Stakes winner Declaration of War set to join Mars in the

line-up.

"At the moment, Camelot is unlikely to run; he hasn't really been himself

this season and is going on the easy list for the rest of the month," a

statement on Coolmore's website read. "Currently Mars is a probable runner in

the Eclipse Stakes on Saturday and Declaration of War is also a possible for the

race."

Mukhadram is on course for the Eclipse, connections have announced. Runner-up

to the re-opposing Al Kazeem in the June 19 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal

Ascot, the William Haggas-trained four-year-old pleased in a workout Wednesday

morning.

"William was thrilled the way he took the race and how he came out of it,"

owner/breeder Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Racing Manager, Angus Gold,

said. "Richard Hills rode him a pipe-opener this morning and was absolutely

delighted with the horse, saying that he moved beautifully."

Gold also revealed that Ektihaam, who slipped in the Hardwicke Stakes at the

Royal meeting, has suffered a setback.

"He was in the (July 11) Princess of Wales's at Newmarket, but (trainer)

Roger (Varian) told me he got a very minor swelling in a joint three days ago,"

he explained. "He thought he just knocked it and it might just preclude him

running next week. We have the option of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth

Stakes (at Ascot July 27). Had he stood up and had he won the Hardwicke, that's

where we'd be looking to run him."

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