Eagle Mountain makes Joel Stakes return

Last year’s Derby and Champion Stakes runner-up Eagle Mountain has his first start for Mike de Kock in Friday’s Nayef Joel Stakes at Newmarket.

The former Aidan O’Brien inmate suffered a fractured pelvis while in Dubai over the winter and has taken time to fully recover.

However, the champion South African trainer is confident the four-year-old has retained all his ability.

“It’s just taken a long time to get him back but it was a bad fracture,” said de Kock.

“It’s not been straightforward but we’ve gradually built him up and this looks the right race for him.

“We’ll see how he comes out of it. If he runs a cracker we might think about the Breeders’ Cup, otherwise he’ll run in the Darley Stakes (October 17) and then he’ll go to Hong Kong.

“He’s very versatile with regards to trip, amazingly versatile.

“He has a Champion Stakes entry but I’m favouring the Darley on the same weekend. My gut feeling is Darley Stakes then Hong Kong in December for the Vase.

“If he’s retained all his ability, we have a serious animal on our hands.”

Eagle Mountain will face 14 rivals including Luca Cumani’s Bankable, Godolphin’s Eddie Jock and Calming Influence, dual Guineas third Stubbs Art and Sir Michael Stoute’s Perfect Stride.