Aidan O'Brien looking forward Eclipse with 'unique' City Of Troy

With a superstar colt comes "pressure", concedes Aidan O'Brien, but also "excitement" – and that and more will be in play for the master of Ballydoyle when he saddles City Of Troy for the Coral-Eclipse on Saturday.

So disappointing in the 2000 Guineas, for which he had been the red-hot favourite throughout the long winter months, the Justify colt roared back at Epsom in the Derby, and now becomes O’Brien’s first winner of the premier Classic to go to the Eclipse.

O’Brien – who has seven Eclipse victories on his CV, the most recent of them being Paddington 12 months ago – has been happy with what he has seen since Epsom, but acknowledges City Of Troy will face one or two new experiences at Sandown.

"He has grown up and matured and we’ve been very happy with everything since Epsom," he said.

"It was a very disappointing run at Newmarket and we were going into a lot of unknown territories at Epsom.

"We had a long way to get back from and you are never sure until it happens. We knew what he was last year, we knew what he was able to do, but we knew what happened in Newmarket – there was a lot riding on it (the Derby) for everybody.

"I was delighted, relieved, thrilled for everybody, really. All you can ever do is your best and that is what we do every day. Hopefully everything goes well – he seems well, so hopefully he runs a good race.

"He’s a unique horse and with that type there has to be pressure, everyone knows what he can do and there’s a sense of excitement and anticipation to see what is going to happen.

"It’s his first run over a mile and a quarter, it’s his first run on a right-handed track and Sandown is undulating as well. There’s a lot of unknowns, it’s his first run against older horses, so I think everyone is looking