Valanour has the qualities needed for Sandown feature

FRENCHMAN Alain de Royer Dupre can be the one deft smiling after today's £250,000 Coral Eclipse at Sandown.

His colt, Valanour, due to be partnered by Gerald Mosse if the going remains to the trainer's liking, proved himself a good horse last season winning two decent events at Longchamp, but also disappointing twice.

Firstly, on easy ground in France and secondly, when, after a troubled preparation, he was easily outpointed by Pent ire in the Guinness Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

However, this season he has already stamped himself as top class performer in two races on his beloved Longchamp fast ground.

In early April, the four year old colt landed the 10 furlong Group Two Prix d'Harcourt by a length and a half from Carling.

Cruising throughout and always prominent behind a fast pace, Valanour quickened effortlessly past the leaders about a furlong from home to land the contest with ease.

His trainer then gave him a three week break before returning to Longchamp for the Group One Prix Ganay.

And on that occasion Alain de Royer Dupre could have been excused for rubbing his eyes as his colt despatched a high class field - which included (in order) Luso, Swain, Spectrum, Muncie and Diamond Mix in similarly impressive fashion.

Despite the unsuitable easy pace of the first half of the race which caused him to pull harder than Mosse wanted, he cruised through again on the shoulders of the leaders before stretching clear inside the final furlong to beat Luso by half a length.

Valanour, at 13 to 2, comes into the Eclipse with top class 10 furlong form - more recent than Halling's best efforts - and should, with both Bijou D'Inde and Halling in the race, be assured of a fast pace.

Everything points in his favour and he is a confident nap.

If there had been eight runners and Ela Aristokrati had still been quoted at Monday's best price of 50 to 1, then he would have been the value bet of the race.

As it is, he faces a difficult task to scrape into the first two in a field of seven and, improving though he is, he is passed over in favour of favourite Pentire for the runner up spot.

The Sandown Park Sprint Stakes can go to the Mark Johnston trained Double Quick who ran a fine race at the Curragh last time, showing blistering early speed before finally giving way behind eventual winner Sunset Reigns.

Johnston's four year old is a course and distance winner and is fairly treated by the race conditions.

John Gosden now seems to be winding his powerful string into something resembling form after a painfully unprofitable start to the campaign.

And Shemozzle can add to the kitty by landing the Group Three Letheby And Christopher Lancashire Oaks at Haydock.

The Shirley Heights filly was two lengths third of eight to Tout A Coup in the Cheshire version at Chester.

She followed that fine effort with two even better performances against Whitewater Affair in the Lupe and against Tulipa in the Ribblesdale.

It will take only a reproduction of that level of form to reward her consistency with victory here.

. Alain de Royer Dupre will inspect the course at Sandown today before making a decision over the participation of his Coral Eclipse hope Valanour. And the presence of St James's Palace Stakes winner Bijou d'Inde in the line up also hinges on a 7 a.m. check by trainer Mark Johnston.

Valanour was one of seven declared for the £250,000 guaranteed race at yesterday's declaration stage, at which time the ground at the Esher track was officially described as good to firm.

However, a total of 7mm of rain fell during a violent thunderstorm during racing yesterday afternoon, changing the going to good.

The Chantilly trainer's fears were first raised when play at the Wimbledon Championships, taking place a few miles from Sandown in SW19, was suspended because of rain.

Royer Dupre, who had settled down to watch the tennis on television, was due to travel to London last night and will consult his staff - who flew over with the Aga Khan's Prix Ganay winner on Thursday - before making his inspection in the morning.

"If it is the slightest bit heavy, we will not be running," he said through an interpreter.

"I will be speaking to my lads tonight when I get to London. They will give me a more thorough idea of what the going is like." Valanour ducked a challenge against Halling, winner of the Eclipse 12 months ago, in Longchamp's Prix d'Ispahan in May because of soft going.

Johnston, whose Bijou d'Inde attempts a mile and a quarter for the first time today, reported: "I will stay down tonight and will be going to the course at 7 am. If the going is good to soft, he will not run."

Although the ground was officially changed to good, opinion in the weighing room was that the Sandown executive had been somewhat conservative in its assessment.

Pat Eddery, who is due to ride at Haydock today, commented: "The ground is good to soft at best."