THE all-conquering Sea The Stars’s next main target will be the irish Champion Stakes following his latest success in the success in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.

Having become the first horse for 20 years to complete the 2,000 Guineas-Derby double, the John Oxx colt, under jockey Mick Kinane, continued to emulate previous hero Nashwan again and add the Eclipse to his impressive Group One haul.

After beating the Aidan O’Brien-trained Rip Van Winkle by a length, Sea The Stars is now a best-priced 4-1 with Coral and Victor Chandler for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but the Irish Champions Stakes at Leopardstown over the 1m2f trip of Saturday’s Eclipse is the more likely target.

Oxx was delighted with Saturday’s win and said: “This is what keeps you working. It is such a relief as we have such a great opinion of the horse. It is very, very rare that you get a horse with all of the qualities.

“I knew there was a good run in Rip Van Winkle and I was just wondering if it would be today. He can go any distance and tanks along early on – any speed he could follow and I don’t think he has a best distance. He can do them all.”

Oxx added: “The Irish Champion Stakes is his major objective and we have to decide if he will run again before then.

“The King George and Juddmonte International are the two options of he does run again.

“Although he is in the Arc that isn’t being seriously considered and the ground may well rule that out.”