The Wizard Of Eye upset his more fancied rivals to win the Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Hyde Stakes in convincing fashion at Kempton Park this afternoon.
The mile feature was a Fast-Track Qualifier, with Stan Moore’s imposing three-year-old now guaranteed a start in the £150,000 All-Weather Mile Championships on Finals Day.
Wearing first-time cheekpieces, the 20/1 outsider was ridden from the front by David Egan, with Dhabab, Tinker Toy and the Evens favourite Cash all within striking distance as the four runners turned into the home straight.
The Wizard Of Eye lengthened approaching the two-furlong marker and, despite drifting left, soon had the chasing trio in trouble. Tinker Toy and Cash briefly threatened but the leader found generously to pull further clear close home, ultimately winning by three and a half lengths.
The Wizard Of Eye has been competing at Pattern level for most of the year, with his best effort coming when narrowly denied in the G3 Thoroughbred Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
Moore said: “The Wizard Of Eye did not scope right after the Joel Stakes and then did not stay the mile and a quarter last time out.
“As you can see, he is 17.3hh and probably the biggest Flat horse in training. He had semi lost his way. He had been asked some big questions and had not run badly, but with his rating you do not get easy races.
“We put the cheekpieces on to try and man him up a little bit because he is still very much a baby, and he showed what he is well capable of.
“We could aim high next year after what he did there, as he showed a bit of class against good horses. A lot of his form did not warrant him to be a 20/1 shot today.”
Regarding future plans, Moore said: “I just said that if we got an invite to Saudi, we know he goes on the dirt out there as he was seventh in the Saudi Derby.
“His mark should go up a good bit from this race and I don’t think you could say it was a fluke either. He has done his own work and done it proper.”