CONNECTIONS Of Twice Over will look to make up for their disappointment of last year’s Coral-Eclipse Stakes defeat in this Saturday’s race – but are likely to beat warm favourite Sea The Stars to do so.

Last year the Henry Cecil-trained and Khalid Abdullah-owned Phoenix Tower was just pipped by a short-head in the Sandown Group One showpiece by Aidan O’Brien’s Mount Nelson.

Twice Over is from the same trainer-owner team and has trod a similar path to his stable-mate, running with credit in the Earl Of Sefton, the Lockinge and Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.

Twice Over was among the 14 entries for Saturday’s race which includes John Oxx’s dual Classic hero Sea The Stars and Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Conduit and O’Brien’s Rip Van Winkle.

Sea The Stars is even money favourite with several firms including the sponsors, with Twice Over a best-priced 20-1 with Ladbrokes.

Twice Over led with two furlongs to run at Royal Ascot before finishing fourth to Vision D’Etat last time.

The owner’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe said: “I don’t think he’s been unlucky. Last time he looked like he’d done enough to win the Prince Of Wales’s and then in the last five strides he is passed by three others and finishes fourth. There was nothing unlucky about it, he ran a super race.”

John Oxx pulled 2,000 Guineas and Epsom winner Sea The Stars, out of last weekend’s Irish Derby due to softish conditions and Grimthorpe added: “Obviously we are looking at the Eclipse – we might have to get the clerk of the course to water. He is an intended runner, he’s been in very good nick but will have to step up again to win.”