Eagle To Soar?

So far, 2015 has been a year to remember for Dermot Weld, even with his star turn Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) kept out of action, but Moyglare Stud’s homebred is back at center stage at last in Wednesday’s G1 Prince of Wales’s S. Restricted to just four outings so far, the ‘TDN Rising Star’ followed a seven-length win in Leopardstown’s G3 KPMG Enterprise S. over this trip in September with a third on unsuitably soft ground in the G1 Champion S. at Ascot the following month. Denied a comeback run in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh last month when suffering a minor setback, the bay nevertheless enters this test with stable confidence behind him. “Free Eagle is in good form; we’re very happy with him. We’d have loved to have got a run into him before a race like this, but it wasn’t to be,” jockey Pat Smullen commented. “He’s in tremendous form and everybody knows what I think of him. Let’s hope we have a good run round and whatever happens, I think we’ll have a lovely season with him.” 

Frank Gillespie’s fairytale horse of last year, The Grey Gatsby (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), has yet to set the world alight this term, finishing 4 1/4 lengths adrift of Tuesday’s G1 Queen Anne S. victor Solow (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) when second in the Mar. 28 G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan before disappointing when only fourth in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh May 24. While that form is a way behind his defeat of Australia (GB) (Ouija Board {Ire}) in the G1 Irish Champion S. in September, the grey–who also plundered the G1 Prix du Jockey Club last year–took a few runs to reach concert pitch in 2014. “It was a good run in Dubai, coming back in trip on a sharp track and Solow is a very good horse who had had a prep run as well,” trainer Kevin Ryan said. “He loves a stronger pace and probably wants a bit more cover than he got at The Curragh, but it was a messy sort of race and I didn’t hide the fact he would improve an awful lot for the run; he was quite heavy. Hopefully he runs his race here.” 

Unbeaten since being gelded, Robin Geffen and Rachel Hood’s Western Hymn (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}) comes here on the back of wins in Sandown’s G3 Gordon Richards S. Apr. 24 and G3 Brigadier Gerard S. May 28 and gets the Frankie Dettori treatment here. “I’d say this is the best race of the meeting and although he is an improving horse, he has to step up one more notch,” Dettori said. Al Shaqab Racing’s Ectot (GB) (Hurricane Run {Ire}) had a truncated 3-year-old campaign, which included a win in the G2 Prix Niel over 12 furlongs at Longchamp in September. That generated a whirl of excitement regarding his prospects in the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but he was 17th of 20 in the October showpiece and has questions to answer on this comeback despite racing manager Harry Herbert’s positivity. “I am really excited about this horse,” he said. “He has missed having a prep run this season because of a foot issue, but that is all fine now. Although he has had a delayed preparation coming into this race, he has been working very well and Elie Lellouche is delighted with him. He goes on any ground and has been trained for this race and fitness-wise he should be spot on. He has definitely slipped under the radar, but he should not be underestimated.” 

International competition is supplied by Sir Owen Glenn’s Apr. 11 G1 Queen Elizabeth S. winner Criterion (NZ) (Sebring {Aus}) and Hidetoshi Yamamoto’s Nov. 2 G1 Tenno Sho hero Spielberg (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), with the former bidding to provide Australia with a rare winner in this category. “After watching Australian horses do so well in the sprints, I’ve always thought that if I had a horse that was good enough, it would be great to take the English on at their own game with middle-distance horses,” conditioner David Hayes explained. “The Prince of Wales’s S. is going to be a very hard task, with a tough international field. But all I can say is Criterion is very healthy and I have been very happy with his work. The horse has had a look around Ascot. I was pleased with him and young Chad Schofield, who rode him, said he handled the undulations very well.”

California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit), whose participation was cast into doubt Monday due to a suspected stone bruise, was officially removed from the Prince of Wales’s Tuesday morning.

“It’s just a minor thing, but it’s very disappointing,” said trainer Rae Guest, who has been housing California Chrome in Newmarket. “He’s been X-rayed and there’s no damage, there’s just a bit of pus and it will take a few days to come right.”