Tomorrow’s big race, the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown, looks the perfect opportunity for Twice Over to get back on the winning trail after an unsatisfactory start to his season.

A true Group One performer, Henry Cecil’s horse ended last year in brilliant form, winning the Champion Stakes at Newmarket before finishing an excellent third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic in California.

His sights have been kept equally high this term, but Twice Over failed to fire in the world’s richest race, the Dubai World Cup, in March and things again did not go his way on his most recent start at Royal Ascot.

In a race run at a modest pace, Tom Queally found himself too far back on the five-year-old as the field turned for home and although Twice Over gained ground hand over fist in the straight, he could not get the better of Byword in the same Khaled Abdulla colours.

Nevertheless, that run showed Twice Over remains as good as ever and in a renewal of the Eclipse that looks well below last year’s, when Sea The Stars beat Rip van Winkle, he can add another top-level prize to his collection.

How much weaker this year’s Eclipse is, combined with Twice Over’s subsequent improvement, can be drawn from the fact he finished only seventh last year when 14/1, yet is now likely to start favourite at around 2/1.

Among his chief rivals in a field of six, three of them are not certain to be effective at this distance of a mile and a quarter. Zacinto and Viscount Nelson have yet to prove they stay, while Dar Re Mi looks better over further.

Haydock Park stages a cracking card featuring the Lancashire Oaks and I think Barshiba, the mare with limited vision in one eye, could make it a real ladies’ day by obliging for top female jockey Hayley Turner.

Barshiba romped home by almost four lengths under Paul Hanagan in this race last year and has already been steered into the winner’s enclosure by Turner at Ascot this term.

She has ground to make up on some of her rivals, Les Fazzani, Polly’s Mark and Rosika, from their meeting over course and distance in May. But since then Barshiba is said to have progressed and finished a fine third in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.

One of Haydock’s most historic races is the Old Newton Cup and this year it could go to Munsef, who ended last year by running in a more famous cup – the Melbourne version.

He finished in mid-division Down Under and this season has been stepped up in grade, taking on the likes of Harbinger who has shown himself to be a Group One horse.

Munsef did not stay when asked to tackle the longest flat race on the calendar, the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot, and should find this test much more to his liking.

Owners Highclere Racing, trainer Ed Dunlop and jockey Pat Dobbs are all enjoying excellent seasons and they can team up to strike in the John Smith’s Fillies’ Handicap at Leicester courtesy of Decency.