Ep 1239 - Coral-Eclipse hits £1m

Tom in for Nick and joined by broadcaster and journalist Rishi Persad and we start with the news that the Coral-Eclipse, staged every year at Sandown Park, will be worth £1m this year making it the most valuable race ever staged at the track. Head of racing at Sandown Andrew Cooper and Coral's PR Director Simon Clare join to tell us how this has come about. Simon also comments on the Coral Scottish Grand National this weekend and on how many runners Willie Mullins is likely to have at the meeting. Rishi and Tom discuss this further and ask what racegoers are likely to make of the potential Mullins domination at Ayr and in the UK over the coming weeks as he bids for a second consecutive UK trainers' championship. We hear from Alan King who sends Masaccio to Ayr this weekend over 3 miles plus Tattersalls Marketing Manager Jason Singh looks ahead to next week's Craven Breeze Up Sale. Jim McGrath has the latest from Hong Kong and we are joined by Calandagan's trainer Francis-Henri Graffard who reflects on the horse's run in Dubai and tells us where some of his stable stars will start off the season.