Great White Eagle

Great White Eagle took the step up to Group 3 company in his stride when winning the Round Tower Stakes over six furlongs impressively at The Curragh on Sunday. He is an exciting horse.

Drawn out in stall two – not an advantage on the straight track at The Curragh – he was ridden confidently by Joseph O’Brien, remaining towards the far side but getting cover early on in behind horses. When he was pulled out to begin his challenge two furlongs out, his rider only had to nudge him along for him to pick up impressively. Hitting the front at the furlong pole, he didn’t storm clear through the final furlong, but he effectively had the race won once he got to the front, and Joseph never had to get overly serious with him for him. He galloped on to the line nicely to win with plenty in hand, in a really good time, almost identical comparatively to that clocked by Rizeena in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained colt showed a really likeable attitude here on just his second start. His sale price rose dramatically from $120,000 as a yearling to 760,000 guineas as a two-year-old at the Craven Breeze-Up Sale, and he has now won his maiden and a Group 3 contest in two outings – as such, he has an identical profile to the current 5/1 2000 Guineas favourite Kingman.

His dam won over seven furlongs and a mile in America, there is some stamina in her pedigree, and Great White Eagle is by Elusive Quality, who is capable of getting high-class horses over a mile and beyond. There is every chance that he will develop into a Classic contender for next season. At this stage, it doesn’t make sense that he is more than twice Kingman’s price for the 2000 Guineas.

1st September 2013