'Cor! What's that?' - Stan Moore plots Riyadh raid with 'freak' stable star

Stan Moore, who is ending 2021 with a flourish, intends to hit the big time in the new year with "freak" stable star The Wizard Of Eye, who will be aimed at the Irish 2,000 Guineas, but has an ambitious assault on the Saudi Derby on his agenda first.

A Newbury novice winner, The Wizard Of Eye ran with credit in French Group races before a fine fifth to Angel Bleu in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp on Arc day in October.

That run thrilled Moore, who had saddled just four winners in Britain all year before eight followed in October and November.

"Touch wood, the horses have come good and are going nicely," he said. "They're of their ilk, but the likes of Havana Goldrush, who won a maiden at Kempton, will be a nice horse next year."

Watch The Wizard Of Eye win at Newbury

Improvement is also expected in The Wizard Of Eye, a son of Galileo Gold, who is owned by the Lambourn trainer, Oliver and Roy Humphrey, and Alison Flavell.

He is due to appear on February 26 at Riyadh in the Saudi Derby, which has Group 3 status and a prize fund of $1.5 million with $900,00 going to the winner.

"He ran a great race on Arc day and it's solid Group 1 form." Moore added. "Angel Bleu has come out and won another Group 1, while Ancient Rome, who was in front of us, was second in that, and then Stone Age, who was behind us, was second in another Group 1.

"It's rock-solid form and we enquired about Saudi and they said given we're rated 106 we'd get an invite. I've never had a runner there and if he's up and raring to go, why wouldn't you?"

The Saudi Derby, which takes place on the undercard of the $20m Saudi Cup, the world's richest race, is staged over a mile on dirt.

"They say the track is a cross between dirt and all-weather, and John Egan, who rides him, has been out there and seems to think it won't be a bother. He's quite a pacey horse, so he should be able to hold a position quite easily," Moore said.

"In theory, his main aim on the turf is the Irish 2,000 Guineas. It's a little bit later after this and while the Irish Guineas is still very good, the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket tends to be a bit tastier.

"We could think about the French Guineas and German Guineas too, but he'd have enough time after Saudi to get over it."

Stan Moore: trainer won the Abbaye with Total GalleryCredit: Edward Whitaker

Moore, training for more than 30 years, became a Group 1 winner in 2009 thanks to the victory of Total Gallery in the Prix de l'Abbaye and he believes The Wizard Of Eye can reach that level.

"I think he's a bit of a freak of nature because he's nearly 17hh and you haven't been able to train him the way you'd like to train a Group 1 horse," he said. "You're always on the edge as that one gallop could take him over the top.

"He's had a nice break at Fiona Marner's Windmill Stud and has done fantastic. He's definitely the type to get better as he matures and what he's done at two is a bonus.

"He always travelled very easily in his work and Bjorn Nielsen, who owns Stradivarius, saw him once on the gallops and said, 'Cor! What's that?'. That was early on and he is very flashy, so does stand out from the crowd.

"We've turned down very good money for him, but the people who own him with me, it's their first horse and they're mad about him, so we'll ride the storm with him."

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