Eagle’s Way

Eagle’s Way did well to finish fourth in the 10-furlong handicap at Sandown on Saturday. Smartly away from his outside draw, he moved into the lead after they had gone a furlong and moved across onto the inside rail. Always prominent even after he was headed by Baltic Voyage after about three furlongs, he moved up on the outside of the leader early in the home straight, but he was quickly caught and passed by Dual Identity, who came with his run from mid-division. That rival went on to run out an impressive winner, but there was a lot to like about the manner in which Eagle’s Way kept on to retain fourth place. He lost two places deep inside the final furlong as his early exertions told, but he still finished well clear of the fifth-placed horse.

This was a race that was run at a solid pace. Six of the first seven home raced in mid-division or worse from early, with Eagle’s Way the only one of the prominent racers who was able to get in among them. Sir Mark Prescott’s horse was seriously progressive last season, his first since being gelded, winning, as he did, all his four races and improving from a handicap rating of 67 to a rating of 96. He hasn’t managed to win off marks in the 90s this season to date, but he has only had three attempts, and this was his best yet. He holds an entry in the Cambridgeshire, and he could be an interesting outsider in that. He likes to race prominently, and he will always be of interest at a course at which or in a race in which early pace is rewarded.

Sandown, 2^nd September 2023