Eagle bids for Breeders' success

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.