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ECLIPSE day at Sandown Park is always a great occasion so it is a huge shame that only four runners will go to post in the Group One feature as the St James’s Palace and Irish 2,000 Guineas hero Paddington locks horns with the Coronation heroine Emily Upjohn.

I fancy that the three-year-old Irish raider will relish this step up to a mile-and-a-quarter, and conversely the filly won’t have any issues coming back down to 10 furlongs after showing a blinding turn of foot at Epsom.

However, DUBAI HONOUR looks exceptional value at a double figure price being rated a pound behind the three-year-old, but without the room to improve that his classic winning rival does.

A battle-hardened global player, the selection wouldn’t want this to turn into a sprint up the final climb, but hopefully that will be negated by the fourth member of this party, West Wind Blows, making this a fair test from the front.

There are several juicy looking handicaps on the card and the one that interests me most of all is the challenge over a mile at 2.25. This 15-runner event could see the layers pricing it up at 6/1 the field at the very least, but at around 16/1 I have a strong preference for BALTIMORE BOY.

The Ian Williams-trained charge blew out completely in the Spring Mile at Doncaster first time out, where he was fully eased from over two furlongs out on that very deep ground.

But he bounced back with a staying on fourth at Ascot and was then a never nearer eighth of 12 over the course and distance last time out, when the quick ground may not have been to his taste.

On this much better surface, with a stronger pace guaranteed and with his rating down to 88, the four-year-old looks solid each-way material at a double-figure price.

As far as the rest of the card is concerned, BRIDESTONES (nap) looks sure to go close in the Distaff stakes at 3.00 after she was badly hampered in the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot.

In fact, the Gosden trained filly did well to finish as close as just under 10 lengths off the winner, coming home 12^th of the 29 runners that afternoon.

Based on her Fred Darling run, the daughter of Teofilo is way better than that defeat at the Berkshire track and she gets the nod over both Breege and Stenton Glider.

Lord Protector looks sure to be a popular selection in the 10-furlong handicap at 4.15, following his win over the course and distance a year ago off a 2lbs lower mark.

He could be the main danger to top weight AIKHAL, who simply doesn’t stay one-and-a-half miles well behind in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at the Royal meeting, will relish a fast-run mile-and-a-quarter on such a stiff track, and a rating of 102 looks well within his capabilities if Saffie Osborne can settle the four-year-old through the first quarter-mile.

The Group Two Lancashire Oaks is the feature event at Haydock Park (2.40) and I certainly think that Time Lock is better than her run suggests in the Sir Lester Piggott Stakes here last time out, when she was hardly suited by the moderate pace.

However, this is a much better contest with greater strength in depth and I think that POPTRONIC is the each-way call against the favourite Mimikyu. Karl Burke’s charge finished ahead of Time Lock in that aforementioned event, despite running very freely and not suited by the pace.

This set-up will surely suit her better, and if Sam James can get her to settle, then the daughter of Nathaniel will be firing home inside the last quarter-of-a-mile.

The Old Newton Cup (3.15) is the big betting race on the card at the Merseyside track and you can be sure that several of these handicappers will have been laid out for this valuable prize.

Gaassee didn’t get competitive in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot, but probably didn’t stay and this drop in trip is perfect for him off a 2lbs lower mark.

Maksud had a horrible passage in the Duke of Edinburgh after being a wholesale gamble the night before and is probably worth another chance, while Toshizu could also find a bit of improvement upped to a mile-and-a-half for the first time.

But my each-way call simply has to be the bottom weight HOWTH. He has been crying out for a step up in trip being an eye catcher at both Chelmsford last November and over the same course and distance just under a month ago.

The key to his chance is an end-to-end gallop, so that he settles before hopefully coming home strongly.

Elsewhere today, with rain expected at the back end of the Haydock Park card, old boy SAFE VOYAGE could well be the springer in the market for the seven furlong handicap at 4.25, while RIVER USK should outrun his price in the finale at 5.00.

At Beverley, have a second look at MIDNIGHT FLAME in the handicap sprint at 3.25, while I have a strong fancy for STRANGERONTHESHORE in the extended mile event at 4.02.

Unlucky not to win at Doncaster last time out, there is enough pace to pull the mare into the race late on and make a play up the final climb.