Eagle Mountain pointing to the BC Turf
DiscreetCat
Moderator
from PA Sport:
Eagle Mountain looks like being given the chance to swoop for honours in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita next month.
Mike de Kock's four-year-old would be the first South African runner at the prestigious meeting on October 25.
The colt was returning from a long absence and having his first run since leaving Aidan O'Brien's stable when smashing the course record to win the Group Three Joel Stakes over a mile at Newmarket last Friday.
"It looks like he's going there. I thought after his run the other day he showed that his fitness is up there," said the South African trainer.
"I'd have liked to have given him another run obviously before stepping him back up to a mile and a half but to break the track record you've got have to be super fit.
"I was worried he might be short of peak fitness for the race but he gave every indication he's fine, so we might as well have a crack at it.
"He's in very good nick and going into the race with fresh legs is maybe a little bit in our favour."
Meanwhile, Archipenko, also formerly with O'Brien, is all set for a workout on Thursday ahead of his run in the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday week.
"It's all going well at this stage, touch wood," de Kock added.
The globe-trotting four-year-old, winner of the Group One Audemars Piguet QE II Cup at Sha Tin in April, was runner-up in the Arlington Million on Chicago two months ago.
Eagle Mountain looks like being given the chance to swoop for honours in the Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita next month.
Mike de Kock's four-year-old would be the first South African runner at the prestigious meeting on October 25.
The colt was returning from a long absence and having his first run since leaving Aidan O'Brien's stable when smashing the course record to win the Group Three Joel Stakes over a mile at Newmarket last Friday.
"It looks like he's going there. I thought after his run the other day he showed that his fitness is up there," said the South African trainer.
"I'd have liked to have given him another run obviously before stepping him back up to a mile and a half but to break the track record you've got have to be super fit.
"I was worried he might be short of peak fitness for the race but he gave every indication he's fine, so we might as well have a crack at it.
"He's in very good nick and going into the race with fresh legs is maybe a little bit in our favour."
Meanwhile, Archipenko, also formerly with O'Brien, is all set for a workout on Thursday ahead of his run in the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday week.
"It's all going well at this stage, touch wood," de Kock added.
The globe-trotting four-year-old, winner of the Group One Audemars Piguet QE II Cup at Sha Tin in April, was runner-up in the Arlington Million on Chicago two months ago.
Comments
Breeders' Cup Turf hope Eagle Mountain delighted trainer Mike De Kock as he engaged in a successful workout at Newmarket racecourse on Monday morning.
The former Aidan O'Brien inmate, second in the Champion Stakes 12 months ago, made a successful reappearance on his first start for the South African handler in the Group Three Joel Stakes last time.
A trip to Santa Anita at the end of the month is now on the cards for the Rock Of Gibraltar colt and De Kock could not have been happier with his latest spin.
"The workout went very well and I am very pleased," said the trainer.
"The Breeders' Cup Turf remains the plan for him now, nothing has changed on that score."
Also in action this morning was stablemate Lucky Find, a cosy winner of the Thoroughbred Open Classic at Great Leighs last month.
"Lucky Find also went very well and the plan with him is to let him take his chance in the Darley Stakes at Newmarket on Friday and I think he will run very well," the trainer continued.
"He ran a very good race at Great Leighs and he has come on a lot since then so as long as the ground is fast, I would expect a big run on Friday."
De Kock also had news of Arlington Million runner-up Archipenko, who was forced to miss this weekend's Champion Stakes due to injury.
"We now know it is definitely just his knee that is the problem," De Kock continued.
"There is no chip or anything like that, he has just jarred his knee up a bit so he will need a few weeks off.
"We'll see how he is after a couple of weeks before making any plans - my feeling is we will just take him to Dubai and get him ready for the Duty Free."