Elsworth eyes Eclipse

RACING: David Elsworth is looking for bold showings from his duo Norse Dancer and Salford City when they line up for the Eclipse…

RACING: David Elsworth is looking for bold showings from his duo Norse Dancer and Salford City when they line up for the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.

The colts were among 14 horses in the Group One showpiece at yesterday's five-day confirmation stage, with Refuse To Bend and Maktub being supplemented at a cost of £20,000 each.

Norse Dancer has been campaigned at the highest level and finished fourth in last year's Vodafone Derby, while Salford City finished fifth in this year's renewal, beaten just four lengths by North Light.

"They are both intended runners and while they are both in the International (at York) as well, we have decided to turn up at Sandown and take it one race at a time," said Elsworth.

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"Salford City is fine, just as he was before the Derby. We are very pleased that he has maintained a high level of performance at home on the gallops and he possibly looks better than he did at Epsom.

"He got the best turned-out there, but they don't give you a star for that and he is in great form."

The Desert Sun colt kicked off his campaign with an impressive win in the Lane's End Greenham Stakes but failed to show the same turn of foot when sixth in the 2,000 Guineas.

He then failed to stay and mile and a half in the Epsom Classic and Elsworth feels Saturday's trip of a mile and a quarter could be ideal. "It was the Derby and we thought we would let him take his chance, and he was only beaten about five lengths," he said.