Wise Eagle is set for a return to York for the Sky Bet Ebor after an impressive showing in the Silver Cup at Knavesmire earlier this month.
Adam Nicol’s standout horse was seen as a potential dark horse for last summer's Gold Cup after finishing second to Coltrane in the Sagaro Stakes, but he struggled at Royal Ascot and later missed the rest of the season due to injury.
Doubts surfaced about the seven-year-old's capabilities after he finished poorly in his first two runs of the current season at Newmarket and Haydock. However, he silenced critics with a strong performance in the Silver Cup, clinching third place, much to his trainer's satisfaction.
“It was a massive step forward,” said Nicol.
“I think a lot of people had lost a bit of faith in him after two moderate runs, but he’d had that year off and he’s a seven-year-old now and with these older horses it just takes a bit more time to get them back to their best. Two or three years ago, you could trot this lad along the road, and he’d be fit, whereas now he takes a bit of galloping. It’s just like us, I suppose, as you get a bit older, you get a bit slower, don’t you? That’s all I think it’s been down to. I was delighted with the way he travelled. I know they went fast, but the horse that made the running (Al Qareem) still finished second and it was certainly a step in the right direction.”
With his horse seemingly back in form, Nicol is eyeing the £500,000 Ebor, which will take place on August 24 over the same distance, and he is also considering a potential race at Goodwood beforehand.