'We might never get the chance again' - 7,000gns bargain buy Wise Eagle on course for dream Ascot Gold Cup run

The Royal Ascot dream for the connections of Wise Eagle is still alive, with the 7,000gns bargain buy set to contest the Gold Cup at Britain's most prestigious Flat meeting next month after his fine prep run.

Trained by Adam Nicol and owned by the Seahouses Syndicate, the six-year-old has improved a remarkable 40lb since being bought at the 2020 Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale.

Having finished a 66-1 runner-up in a juvenile hurdle at Catterick on his yard debut in December 2020, Wise Eagle has won 11 times since, including the Queen's Cup at Musselburgh this season before he finished a gallant runner-up in the Sagaro Stakes last week.

That effort has tempted Northumberland-based Nicol and the syndicate to aim for a return to Ascot for the royal meeting's flagship race, which is worth £600,000. He is a 33-1 shot behind his Sagaro conqueror and 4-1 favourite Coltrane.

"If all keeps going well then we're thinking of going for the Gold Cup, as we might never get the chance to run a horse - especially like him - in it again," Nicol said. "Imagine if we won it, I don't know if any horse has ever gone from running in 0-70's at Catterick or being a 66-1 runner-up over hurdles to running in the Ascot Gold Cup.

"There are six lads in the syndicate and some of them have never even owned a horse before. They love a party too and it's phenomenal for them to be a part of the journey. I'd love to keep going with him because what a story it is."

Wise Eagle (red): finished ahead of Trueshan, but behind Coltrane in the Sagaro StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

While Wise Eagle has nearly five lengths to find on Coltrane, Nicol is hopeful that the step up to 2m4f and a truer run race could see that gap close in their rematch. His Musselburgh form was further boosted when Metier won the Chester Cup on Friday.

"Ascot is a remarkable place to go to regardless of the result but he was my first runner there," he added. "The fact he ran so well when we were trying to find out what level to go at was unbelievable, and for a split second we all got a bit excited. It was a hell of a run.

"A bigger field will suit him even better too as he got lit up at one point, and smaller fields are likely to be a bit more tactical. He wants a good pace to aim at and then he might even place or even go better.

"I keep trying to guess where he's at level-wise but you can't because he's never stopped improving."

The son of Free Eagle is likely to head to Ascot without another run, with his preparations set to take place at the picturesque Bamburgh beach near Nicol's yard.

He said: "He'll go straight there as he could tell he'd had a race last time, but he was at the beach on Wednesday in blue skies and sunshine – it was more like Barbados than Bamburgh.

"We'll freshen him up over the next ten days and the seven weeks between his last run and Royal Ascot is the perfect gap."

Ascot Gold Cup (June 22)

Paddy Power: 11-4 Emily Dickinson, 4 Coltrane, 11-2 Eldar Eldarov, 6 Broome, 10 Point Lonsdale, Subjectivist, 12 Echoes In Rain, Yibir, 16 bar 

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