Nic Doggett provides an overview of the key things to note on Thursday.
All over in the blink of an Eye?
Pearl Eye has caught the er...eye of many of late, including the Timeform race reporters who pointed out after his last run at Ayr:
"couldn't justify favouritism but did shape encouragingly for the second time in as many starts for the yard and it's surely just a matter of time before he exploits this sort of mark”
With Paul Mulrennan booked to ride the six-year-old for the first time in the Weatherbys Global Stallions Handicap (15:21), and the return of cheekpieces, all looks set for a big run.
Indeed, five of the horse’s seven wins have come in headgear (four in cheekpieces, one in blinkers) and this stiff finish should prove ideal for an adaptable sort who counts Beverley and Pontefract amongst his winning venues.
From a handicapping point of view, he’s now 12 lb below his last win (March 2025), and the ground should be ideal as most of his victories have come on ground with some cut in.
It all looks a bit too perfect, doesn’t it?
The only obvious drawback might be a lack of pace which Timeform predict will be ‘weak’. Only Highland Olly, who should find it easier to dominate here than at York last time, is a habitual front-runner over this trip.
But - 6 lb clear on Timeform’s weight-adjusted ratings - this looks Pearl Eye’s best opportunity for some time.
Fortune to favour the brave?
Half an hour later in the Weatherbys Digital Solutions Clyde Handicap (15:51), Matt Brocklebank is keen on Eternal Force for trainer William Haggas who has a 50% strike-rate with his older horses at the course.
Not only is Matt a better tipster (Editor's Note: and person) than me, he’s also much braver, as I wouldn’t be hugely shocked to see any of the seven runners – who are split by just 8 lb on Timeform’s weight-adjusted ratings – prevail.
Seventh on his reappearance in the Lincoln when last seen, Eternal Force is up against Botanical, a C&D winner who was ahead of him on Town Moor and was once second in the John Smith’s Cup off 4 lb higher, as well as two Horses In Focus (Theoryofeverything and Altareq) who both appear on winnable marks.
Al Mubhir (Australia) and Diego Ventura (France) have had just one run in tough company since emigrating here, while Two B Tanned has never ventured further than Ayr since joining Jule Camacho from George Scott but has won half of her 12 starts since moving to Norton in North Yorkshire.
Family affair at Leopardstown
Over at Leopardstown, where all the runners are trained by an O’Brien, the King George V Cup (18:30) originally featured several horses who were engaged in the Oaks and Derby until recently.
Endorsement is 8 lb clear on Timeform’s weight-adjusted ratings following his third – beaten just a quarter of a length – to leading Epsom hopes James J Braddock and Pierre Bonnard in the Group 3 Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown last month.
He also ran behind Pierre Bonnard twice as a two-year-old, was beaten only by stablemate Christmas Day when second in the Ballysax on his return, and looks sure to be suited by today’s longer trip on both running style and pedigree (dam an unraced sister to Melbourne Cup runner-up Johannes Vermeer).
Strapping sablemate Amadeus Mozart impressed on his sole start at two but hasn’t in two at three, most recently when down the field in the Gallinule Stakes. His pedigree is a little more ambiguous, his dam’s siblings including Garswood and Zagitova, though it’s worth noting that the last-named has produced the strong stayers Cameo and Portland (who won this race in 2024).
Unfortunately, Donnacha’s Emmeleia is a non-runner, but older brother Joseph trains So Must I and Yousaynothingatall as he bids for a first win in the race.
It’s probably unlikely to come via the 80-rated pair, but Yousaynothingatall ran well behind Emmeleia on her return in April and duly backed up a solid third over this trip at Cork (winner has gone in again since, albeit at a lowly level) before winning by five lengths back there last month.
Connections are risking the horse’s official rating here, but she remains with potential, and it would be no great surprise to see her continue her progression in cheekpieces with a good effort against two seemingly superior colts.
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