Eclipse is the weekend highlight but no White Birch in the Coral Eclipse at Sandown

Upton trainer John Murphy has decided not to run his stable star White Birch in the Coral Eclipse at Sandown tomorrow. 

Ground conditions have gone against the Murphy’s lately as they were also forced to withdraw at Royal Ascot due to firm ground conditions. 

White Birch will be a notable absentee from a stellar Coral-Eclipse on account of anticipated fast conditions. 

John Murphy’s star performer was one of 11 confirmed for the track’s summer highlight on Monday, but connections have now decided not to make the trip from Cork while the weather refuses to break.

Assistant Trainer George Murphy said: “White Birch is not going to run, it’s looking like they will have proper good to firm ground at Sandown. 

"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 an excellent 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. 

Jockey Colin Keane enjoyed no luck in running that day so it has been a bit of a frustrating season for connections. 

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 which could lead to a trip to the Prix de L’arc de Triomphe in early October at the famous Paris track.

“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.” 

Lambourn completes Derby Double Ryan Moore won his third successive Irish Derby with a well-judged ride on Lambourn that required all of the jockeys experience to get home in front. 

Moore had a relaxing week from Royal Ascot to the Curragh's three-day Derby meeting, going to Newmarket on Thursday for his only rides, but he was in top form at Ireland's home of Flat racing. 

Over three days, Moore rode 12 horses, all bar one for his boss Aidan O’Brien , and he brought home five winners and three seconds, including Group 1s on Saturday and Sunday.

Moore had won the previous two Irish Derbys on Auguste Rodin and Los Angeles, his first win in the race, and he brought up the hat-trick in determined fashion on Sunday afternoon as Lambourn followed Auguste Rodin in completing the Epsom-Curragh double, the 20th time that it has been done. 

The margin at the line was three parts of a length, but it was an agonising final half-mile for anyone who backed Lambourn at 8/13 favourite.

Seemingly under pressure soon after the final bend, Lambourn woke up sufficiently in the closing furlong to deny stablemate Serious Contender emulating his sire Australia and joining an elite band of O'Brien-trained dual Derby heroes. 

The list now includes Lambourn alongside Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002), Camelot (2012), Australia (2014) and the aforementioned Auguste Rodin.

Moore said: "He's just a very relaxed horse. He was having a bit of a laugh with me. He was only doing a minimum of what he could get away with. 

He hasn't done a huge amount there. I just have to keep him awake. 

"He was just a bit lazy, but he has loads of ability and was always in control."

A day earlier, Moore got the Epsom Oaks runner-up Whirl home in front in the Group 1 Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes, denying Champion Stakes winner Kalpana with a rallying effort in the final 150 yards after Colin Keane had hit the front in Andrew Balding's filly. 

It was a third career win in the Pretty Polly for Moore, after Promising Land in 2008 and Minding in 2016.

A year ago, Bluestocking took this event before going on to Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe glory at Longchamp. 

Following her win at the Curragh, Whirl was promoted towards the head of the betting for the French contest in the autumn. 

She beat the year older odds-on favourite Kalpana by a length and a quarter and promptly had her Arc odds halved to 10/1.

Her win was a landmark for Moore as he registered the 150th success at Group 1 level in his partnership with O'Brien.

Options remain fluid for the Wootton Bassett filly, who could return for the Irish Oaks or head to Glorious Goodwood for the Nassau Stakes.