Eclipse An Ideal Target For Malice

Time/Date 16.00hrs local time/Saturday, November 14
Course/Country Sandown/Australia
Surface/Distance Turf/1800m

A well-deserved stakes success looks to be well within the abilities of Malice in the G3 Eclipse Stakes at Melbourne's Sandown course on Saturday, November 14.

Malice (John O'Shea/James McDonald) has raced well in good company this spring, but has been unable to add to his five-win record.

That situation seemed likely to change at Flemington at his latest start when he enjoyed a perfect run only to encounter a bad section of the track at a vital point before finishing second to Awesome Rock on November 3.

"He looked like he had them covered at the 300m but he just got a bit wide and onto a section of the track that had deteriorated," said trainer John O'Shea.

"He might not have won anyway, but he got going again and finished the race off very nicely."

Over the same journey at Sandown and with the benefit of recent racing, Malice comes into the Eclipse with sound form in better company.

Three runs back the son of Teofilo ran a solid race when seventh to the champion filly Winx in the G1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick, a run that O'Shea said was better than it may appear on paper.

"That was a very hot field and the winner is a very good filly," he said.

"We finished only a few lengths behind her after being on the pace the whole way. It was a very good run for a horse like him."

Malice followed that run with a fourth placing in the G2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley before his latest effort at Flemington.

"This shapes as probably the most suitable race he's run in this preparation," O'Shea said.

"He meets a lot of horses he's already beaten, he's drawn well and he's trained on nicely."

The consistent Digitalism and last start winner Slate On Edge are among the pick of the opposition in a race in which Malice appears to be well-suited by both the conditions and the distance.