Cecil has also had to endure the lows, of course, with Reference Point, Indian Skimmer and, most surprising of all, the brilliant Bosra Sham suffering defeat in the Sandown showpiece.

This year's renewal doesn't appear as competitive as usual, however, and Phoenix Tower can end a 30-year wait for another success for the master of Warren Place this afternoon.

Group 1 form is normally key to a race like the Eclipse but Aidan O'Brien's Mount Nelson, winner of the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud as a two-year-old, has failed to add to that success in four starts since and has yet to prove he stays this far while

Literato, who had Mount Nelson well behind when successful in last season's Champion Stakes at Newmarket, has shown little since switching to Godolphin and is unlikely to take his chance today without a considerable easing of the ground.

John Gosden has been bullish about the chances of Pipedreamer, but last year's Cambridgeshire hero was beaten by half-a-length by Phoenix Tower in the Earl of Sefton Stakes in the spring and, though closing that gap to a short-head behind Duke Of Marmalade in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, still has something to find with the four-year-old who has more scope than stablemate Multidimensional and the reliable Maraahel.

Sandown's stiff 5f is just about perfect for Hoh Mike who, following his excellent fifth to Equiano in the King's Stand Stakes, can repeat last year's success in the Champagne Lanson Sprint Stakes which gets underway an excellent afternoon's entertainment on Channel 4.

The cameras are also at Haydock, where the Group 2 bet365 Lancashire Oaks is the feature on a seven-race card. Alan Swinbank's Turbo Linn won this last year after the race was re-routed to Newmarket, but she may have to give best this time around to Ezima. Jim Bolger's filly had a nice confidence-booster at Leopardstown in May and Mick Kinane has travelled over from Ireland to take the ride.

The bet365 Old Newton Cup is always a tremendously-competitive handicap but punters have been in a hurry this week to back Mad Rush following his arguably unlucky second to Sugar Ray in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot. Luca Cumani's colt is struggling to get his head in front, however, and preference is for Buccellati who had an even more troubled passage when fourth in the Wolfreton Handicap at the same meeting and will be suited by the extra distance here.

Local racegoers are served by Beverley, where Pat Haslam's Duke Of Touraine can complete his hat-trick in the C.G.I. Handicap, while Tim Easterby's grand old stayer Thewhirlingdervish should be able to defy top weight in the Eltherington Handicap.

Sakhee's Secret will not bid for back-to-back victories in next Friday's Darley July Cup at Newmarket.

The four-year-old failed to sparkle in his home-work after finishing last in the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Trainer Hughie Morrison said: "I think he's a doubtful runner at the moment.

"He ran too bad to be true the other day and though he is clinically fine, he had a temperature last weekend and I just think there was something simmering there.''

Morrison added: "You can't really take a chance with him in Group One company, if it was a handicap you might get away with it.

"It's doubtful whether I'll confirm him tomorrow which is a shame, but that's life.

"I think he's fine now but he appears to have had some sort of viral shock and we need to give nature a chance to let him fully recover and build up – even though outwardly you would think he was fine.

"He was muscularly sore for the whole of last week.

"It's a real sickener as the way he won the race last year, the stiff six furlongs there looks made for him.

"The Nunthorpe and everything are possible at this stage.''