Martyn Meade hopes Lone Eagle can enhance his prospects of an appearance in the Cazoo Derby at Epsom by making a triumphant return in the bet365 Classic Trial at Sandown Park on Friday.
The son of Galileo remains on course to make his first start at Sandown Park since meeting defeat there on his debut last August. He subsequently rattled up a hat-trick of victories, culminating with an impressive success on his first start over 10 furlongs in the Group Three Zetland Stakes at Newmarket in October.
Friday’s mile and a quarter Group Three contest will test the Classic credentials of the colt, who is a general 33/1 chance for the Cazoo Derby,
Meade said: “The plan is to go to Sandown on Friday with Lone Eagle. He improved all the time last year and he did everything we asked of him. He is totally laidback at home. He is a horse that never shows anything at home but just gives his all on the racecourse.
“He coped with Sandown well first time out there when he was a bit unlucky, so hopefully he can go one better there this time.
“After the race on Friday it will tell us where we are and whether we need to work him on our Derby gallop at home but so far he is going the right way.
“I think he is pretty versatile ground-wise and I don’t think he is ground dependent as far as I can ascertain, both from what we have seen at home or on the race track.”
Meanwhile Meade will only consider giving stablemate Statement an outing in next month’s QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket providing she is “firing on all cylinders”.
The Lawman filly opened her account on her final start as a two year old at Newbury in October and found only Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Alcohol Free too strong on her return to action in a Group Three at the Berkshire venue on Sunday.
Meade added: “Statement showed she is good enough for that level on Sunday and Alcohol Free just got the first run on us a bit.
“I’m not sure about the 1000 Guineas yet as she had a hard race at Newbury. The 1000 Guineas is in just under a fortnight and I’m just going to see how she is over the next two or three days.
“She is in the race and if she is firing on all cylinders then we would go, but it might just come too quick and we might then go to the French Guineas instead as she does take a bit of minding.
“I do think she is top class but I don’t want to back her up quick and end up leaving her season behind.”