Group One winner Mission Critical can post a belated victory in Saturday's Group Three Eclipse Stakes at Sandown after missing most of the spring as a result of a stable accident.The Mike Moroney trained four-year-old was entered for all the big races including the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups but his campaign was ruined when he cut his leg in a mishap on a walking machine early in September.His leg was stitched but a bad reaction to antibiotics landed him at the Werribee Veterinary Clinic for n

Group One winner Mission Critical can post a belated victory in Saturday's Group Three Eclipse Stakes at Sandown after missing most of the spring as a result of a stable accident.

The Mike Moroney trained four-year-old was entered for all the big races including the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups but his campaign was ruined when he cut his leg in a mishap on a walking machine early in September.

His leg was stitched but a bad reaction to antibiotics landed him at the Werribee Veterinary Clinic for nearly a week where he was put on a drip and treated for dehydration and diarrhoea.

A winner of four races from 15 starts, Mission Critical has raced only three times in the spring after being rated among New Zealand's top three-year-olds last season.

He won at weight-for-age in the Group One Whakanui International (2000m) in February, ran second to multiple Group One winner Alamosa in the Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m) and beat Moatize in the Group Three Rough Habit Plate (2200m) at Doomben.

Moroney's racing manager Anthony Feroce said Mission Critical got his chance to show his real class in the Eclipse and that he looked well placed with 57kg in a nine-horse field.

"It looks a good race for him as he's only three kilos off the minimum (weight) and he is a Group One winner," Feroce said.

Mission Critical is favourite with TAB Sportsbet at $4.40 and if he runs as expected may go to Perth for the weight-for-age Group One Kingston Town Classic (1800m) on December 6.

"He is entered and there is a small possibility he will go over there if he runs well," Feroce said.

Last start Mission Critical was an encouraging third to Annenkov and The Fuzz after trying to lead all the way in the Listed Emirates Airline Handicap (1800m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day.

At his previous run he finished last in the Group Three Jayco Cup (1400m) which was his first start in two months since injuring his leg.

"He really needed that run at Caulfield," Feroce said. "His run last start at Flemington was more like him."

Feroce said Mission Critical performed best on firm ground and that the biggest danger to him on Saturday could be the rain that is forecast.

The Lakeside track was on Friday rated a good three.

The Robbie Laing-trained Sentire won't back up in the Eclipse after his gallant second to Daka's Gem in Wednesday's Ballarat Cup (2200m) unless there is heavy rain.

"The clouds are ready to burst but he won't run unless the track is slow or heavy," Laing said.

Sentire produced the best run of his five starts this spring when he relished the rain-affected ground in the Ballarat Cup and may have been unlucky not to have won the feature for the second year in a row.

"He sprinted that quickly I thought he was going to win by five lengths but he used a lot of gas in the first 400 metres and then probably went 100 yards too early in the straight," Laing said.

Daka's Gem's jockey Peter Mertens was the enemy when he denied Sentire his second Ballarat Cup but he jumps aboard Sentire in the Eclipse.

Laing said the Eclipse would be Sentire's last run before a spell and he would return next year for the winter staying races.