Aidan O'Brien's bid to become the first trainer to win the Eclipse Stakes (G1) four years in a row will be stronger than expected after he surprisingly revealed Constitution River and Hawk Mountain will both run July 4 at Sandown Park.
The Ballydoyle trainer had indicated it would be one of Constitution River or Hawk Mountain, who respectively finished first and second in the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby, G1), but not both, with the decision described as "50-50" last week.
O'Brien kept four in contention for the 1 1/4-mile group 1 at the confirmation stage June 29, but was keen to wait until after the pair's final work had been completed before he committed to his Eclipse hand.
And in a shocking twist, O'Brien told the Racing Post July 1 he will let his group 1 winners take each other on again in Saturday's £1 million feature.
"It looks like Hawk Mountain and Constitution River will run," O'Brien said. "The lads are happy for them to run against each other and everything has gone well with both of them since the French Derby."
Constitution River overcame a nightmare draw in the French classic to beat Hawk Mountain by three-quarters of a length and is 5-4 to follow up in the Eclipse. Hawk Mountain is 5-1, with the pair split by Wathnan Racing's Gethin at 7-2 and Roger Varian's Saddadd at 4-1.
Constitution River made his Pattern-race breakthrough in the Futurity Stakes (G2) at the Curragh in his final start last season, and returned as a 3-year-old with a power-packed 7-length victory in the Dee Stakes at Chester Racecourse before his first group 1 win at Chantilly Racecourse.
Hawk Mountain went even higher as a juvenile, landing the Futurity Trophy Stakes (G1) at Doncaster Racecourse. He won with the minimum of fuss on his return in the Prix de Guiche (G3), but was seen off by his stablemate last time.
Those headline names are not the only Ballydoyle-based runners who could be taking part in the Eclipse. Causeway and Flushing Meadows are still in the field and O'Brien is not ruling out the possibility that pair may also line up.
He said: "One of the others might go, but I'm not sure which yet."
Causeway is unbeaten in five starts this season and was last seen winning the King Edward VII Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot.
Flushing Meadows has not built on the promise he showed when beating some quality types to win his maiden on debut last season and is yet to add to that first victory.
O'Brien, the most successful trainer in Eclipse history with nine victories, is targeting a fourth straight win in the race following victories for Paddington, City of Troy, and Delacroix.
