White Birch sidesteps Eclipse due to going concerns
John Joseph Murphy's star performer was one of 11 confirmed for the Esher track's summer highlight on Monday, but connections have now decided not to make the trip from Ireland while the weather refuses to break.
"White Birch is not going to run, it's looking like they will have proper good to firm ground at Sandown," said George Murphy, who is assistant to his father.
"We made the decision good ground would be the quickest we would run him on, so it's not ideal for Saturday."
White Birch made a pleasing start to the season by finishing second to Los Angeles in the Mooresbridge Stakes before an unlucky fourth to the same rival when defending his Tattersalls Gold Cup crown.
However, he also missed Royal Ascot for the second year running when quick conditions ruled him out of the Prince of Wales's Stakes, connections are now minded to hit the pause button ahead of a late-season campaign on more suitable going.
Murphy added: "We'll chat to the owners but it is more than likely we will give him an easy time now and wait for the end of the summer/start of autumn when we're more likely to get a little ease in the ground.
"It's been pretty quick for a while now, but he's in good shape and we just want to look after him."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
17 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Delacroix denies Ombudsman in Eclipse thriller
Delacroix came from last to first under a vintage Ryan Moore ride to provide Aidan O'Brien with his ninth victory in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown. A quality field of six runners went to post for a Group One contest that traditionally gives the Classic generation a first chance to meet their elders and this year's renewal was no exception, with four three-year-olds taking on two top-class older horses in Ombudsman and Sosie. Ombudsman was the 6-4 favourite to supplement his brilliant success in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and quickened up to lead inside the final furlong - but having looked to be struggling at the rear of the field early in the straight, Derby disappointment Delacroix (3-1) came with a wet sail under a power-packed Moore drive to get up by a neck. "It wasn't the first or the second or the third plan! He began OK, but nobody really wanted to make the running and there was three of us in a line," Moore told ITV Racing. "Me and William (Buick, on Ombudsman) wanted the same position and I had to give way. He was on an older, bigger horse so I thought we'd wait and go around. "They got first run on me and he's obviously a very good horse with a good turn of foot. He quickened up really well. "I think 10 furlongs is fine and if anything he could probably run over shorter. He's a horse we've always held in high regard and he was the only horse in this race that hadn't won a Group One, but he'd threatened to and he's obviously out of a great racemare (Tepin) and by Dubawi." O'Brien said: "Incredible, I thought Ryan was going to make the running on him. Obviously you don't tell Ryan what to do, but you listen to what he's saying, so when I saw it all changing I didn't know what would happen or what to make of it. "He ended up where he did and it just kept ringing in my mind that during the week Ryan said to me 'Aidan, I think this horse is a miler', and I always thought he was a mile-and-a-quarter horse. "As the race went on that was what was ringing in my head, is he a miler or is he a mile-and-a-quarter horse, but obviously Ryan stuck to his judgement because he kept calm and had one go. "What he did in the last two furlongs looked very different. It was a very good race, the second horse is a very good horse and when you get a four-year-old rated as high as that, you need a three-year-old that's a bit different to beat them. "Ryan said he changed plans four times in the race today. He found himself where he was but he was calm and collected and clinical." Paddy Power cut Delacroix's odds for the Juddmonte International at York to 5-1 from 16-1, with Ombudsman a 4-1 shot and Field Of Gold the 5-4 favourite. While plans for Delacroix remain up in the air, he looks set to either stick to a mile and a quarter or even drop back in trip. "He's hardy so you shouldn't be afraid to race him, but the lads (owners) will decide what they want to do," O'Brien added. "They stacked them up in front today and he came with a deadly run, it was incredible what he did - mind-blowing. "I don't think going back to a mile would worry him, but if they decide to keep him at a mile and a quarter I would be delighted. "When you can relax like that and quicken like that over a mile and a quarter, it's very potent and a brilliant thing to have up your sleeve."
The Irish Sun
21 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Well-backed Delacroix wins Coral-Eclipse thriller after ‘mind-blowing' ride from Ryan Moore
RYAN MOORE showed just why he is considered the best jockey on the planet with an epic winning ride on Delacroix in the Coral-Eclipse. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong during the race, but he somehow managed to run down the favourite Ombudsman in the final strides. Advertisement 1 Delacroix (right) wins a thriller in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Credit: PA And, judged by the deafening noise that erupted from the stands as he flew home for a last-gasp win, plenty of bets were landed in the process. Aidan O'Brien, who has just the eight Eclipse wins to his name, was just as dumbfounded as the rest of us as the well-punted 3-1 second favourite dramatically surged from nowhere to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. He said: 'I couldn't believe it, they went hard and then they steadied it, and then they went again. Ryan kept calm and came with one go at the leader, it was a masterful ride, it was mind-blowing. 'He said his plan changed about four times during the race, I thought he'd try to lead but it didn't work out and he ended up where he did. Advertisement 'You leave it up to him, he knows the horses, there is always a Plan A, B and C, I'd say that was Plan Z.' It was Plan Z because the original thought had been that Delacroix, who flopped as 2-1 favourite in the Derby last month, would try to grab the early lead in the six-runner field. But he ended up being shuffled back through the pack as French horse Sosie and outsider Hotazhell took it up, and the winner was running up a blind alleyway as they rounded the bend for home. And then, just as he was getting rolling, stablemate Camille Passarro nipped up on his outer and boxed him in, costing him precious momentum and room at a crucial point in the race. Advertisement Most read in Horse Racing Comment Exclusive Moore managed to angle him out, gather him together and unleash him with a sweeping run to catch 6-4 jolly Ombudsman was a ridiculously impressive win. It was the sort of escape act that would have made Harry Houdini proud. Moore said: 'He began OK, nobody really wanted to make the running and it was a bit messy. 'William (Buick) wanted the same position as me and he was on a bigger, stronger, older horse so I had to give way. Advertisement 'Ombudsman got first run on me but Delacroix is a very good horse with a mighty turn of foot, and he quickened up really well. 'It was a steadily run race for that class of horse, but his change of gear made the difference, it got him out of trouble. 'He was the only horse in the race who hadn't won a Group 1 but he has threatened to for a long time, he is a big, strong, beautiful horse so it is great to get this one.' Usually the master of understatement, that's about as effusive as Moore is going to get. This must be a good horse. Advertisement It was a brilliant race and the good news is he will likely meet Ombudsman again for round two at York in next month's Juddmonte International. That is very likely to be the runner-up's target as a philosophical John Gosden took the defeat on the chin. He said: 'I did warn people beforehand it could be a messy race and that's how it turned out, but he has run a brilliant race. 'We got caught a little bit wide and the winner has just come with one strong run and done us, but that's racing. Advertisement 'I don't think we were helped out by the tight gap between this race and the Prince Of Wales's at Ascot, it is only 17 days, so when you consider that he's run a great race.' FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. . Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Read more on the Irish Sun Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
RTÉ News
a day ago
- RTÉ News
Delacroix thunders home to land Eclipse at Sandown
Delacroix came from last to first under a vintage Ryan Moore ride to provide Aidan O'Brien with his ninth victory in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown. A quality field of six runners went to post for a Group One contest that traditionally gives the Classic generation a first chance to meet their elders and this year's renewal was no exception, with four three-year-olds taking on two top-class older horses in Ombudsman and Sosie. Ombudsman was the 6-4 favourite to supplement his brilliant success in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and quickened up to lead inside the final furlong – but having looked to be struggling at the rear of the field early in the straight, Derby disappointment Delacroix came with a wet sail under a power-packed Moore drive to get up by a neck as a 3-1 shot. 🏆 Thrilling renewal of the G1 @Coral -Eclipse! Delacroix & Ryan Moore deny Ombudsman & William Buick with a dramatic success in our feature event! — Sandown Park (@Sandownpark) July 5, 2025 "It wasn't the first or the second or the third plan! He began OK, but nobody really wanted to make the running and there was three of us in a line," Moore told ITV Racing. "Me and William (Buick, on Ombudsman) wanted the same position and I had to give way. He was on an older, bigger horse so I thought we'd wait and go around. "They got first run on me and he's obviously a very good horse with a good turn of foot. He quickened up really well. "I think 10 furlongs is fine and if anything he could probably run over shorter. He's a horse we've always held in high regard and he was the only horse in this race that hadn't won a Group One, but he'd threatened to and he's obviously out of a great racemare (Tepin) and by Dubawi."
