Charlie Fellowes Hong Kong Jockey Club
All options are on the table for The Wizard Of Eye as he nears his return to the track
The five-year-old has thrived since switching to Charlie Fellowes this season and after following up Victoria Cup success at Ascot with a bold effort in Group One company at the Royal meeting, he was installed as was the ante-post favourite for the International Stakes back at the Berkshire track on King George day.
He missed that assignment through a small setback but is now working towards his next start, which is still to be determined after Fellowes elected to miss Newbury’s Hungerford Stakes.
A trip to York for the Sky Bet City of York Stakes has been deemed unlikely, although on the same afternoon (August 24) The Wizard Of Eye could move up to a mile to contest Goodwood’s William Hill Celebration Mile.
The Wizard Of Eye could also be seen bolstering the East region’s Racing League cause with the valuable seven-furlong event that concludes Newcastle’s action on August 22 another race mooted by the Bedford Lodge handler.
“He worked on Saturday and worked great, but he had a good blow afterwards having had some time off and I didn’t confirm him for the Hungerford,” said Fellowes.
“We’ve got options, I’m not in love with sending him to York as even though we are entered there I don’t think it is his track.
“We could step up to a mile and run in the Celebration and he has run really well at Goodwood in the past. If he relaxes like he has done so far, going over a mile is a possibility.
“There is a seven-furlong handicap as well at Goodwood that is worth a bit of money and there is potentially the Racing League (at Newcastle) that may suit him.
“There’s lots of options for him, but he just had a longer blow than I thought he was going to after his work and he might be at least a week or so away from running again.”
