Eagle Mountain set for Newmarket return

Mike de Kock is preparing to unleash Eagle Mountain at Newmarket on Friday for his first run since a narrow defeat to Literato in the Champion Stakes nearly a year ago.

The Derby runner-up was sold by Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle operation for an undisclosed fee at the end of last season to owner Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum but he fractured his pelvis when working in Dubai during the winter.

The South African trainer has excelled with other horses recruited from O’Brien with the most notable example being Archipenko, who has established himself as a solid global performer.

But Eagle Mountain is potentially even better, with a third in the Irish Derby and a fifth-place finish in the 2000 Guineas also to his credit.

“We are just getting him ready after the pelvis injury and I am looking to run him in the Joel Stakes next Friday,” explained the trainer.

“It’s over a mile, so we’ll just see how he goes. After that I might have a look at the Breeders’ Cup Marathon race. Otherwise there is the Darley Stakes and carrying on to Hong Kong.”

Archipenko, last seen chasing home Spirit One in an eventful renewal of the Arlington Million, will also be in action on the Rowley Mile.

De Kock added: “He’s going very well and is on target for the Champion Stakes.”