Eminent to be trained by eventing legend Sir Mark Todd

Group 2 winner Eminent, who left Martyn Meade's yard to continue his career in Australia, will be trained by eventing legend and dual Olympic champion Sir Mark Todd.

The son of Frankel, who was fourth in the 2017 Derby, is owned by Sir Peter Vela, who has owned several of Todd's high-class event horses, and the plan is to campaign the five-year-old in Group 1 races this spring.

Todd, who will continue his eventing career, told Horse & Hound: "Sir Peter and [bloodstock agent] Hubie de Burgh bought Martyn Meade out of the horse with the idea of sending him to stud in New Zealand – he’s got a great pedigree and is a Group 2 winner.

Sir Mark Todd (left): will train EminentCredit: Dan Abraham

“They sent him to me to do something with before going to New Zealand, and then I got a phone call, saying they were thinking of taking him to Australia to run in a couple of races before retiring."

Todd, who won individual Olympic gold medals in 1984 and 1988, added: "The plan is to run him in two Grade 1s over ten furlongs in Sydney – the Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on March 23 and the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on April 13, although he does have an entry in the Star Doncaster Mile as well as an insurance.”

Eminent, who finished unplaced in all four starts last year, is based at Todd's yard in Badgerstown and will fly out to Australia later this month.

“He has worked on the gallops here at Badgerstown and I have also taken him to other gallops to work alongside other horses," Todd said.

"The snow and the equine flu virus have upset our plans a bit and we’ve had to resort to plans B, C and D, but he is now in quarantine in Newmarket and flies to Australia on February 28.”

The colt, who produced his best effort in Group 1 company when third behind Decorated Knight in the 2017 Irish Champion Stakes, could even face the mighty Winx at Randwick.

“If everything goes right and he is able to reproduce his best form, I think he could be competitive," Todd added. "Winx is in the Queen Elizabeth and beating her would be a pretty tall order – but you’ve got to be in it to win it.

“It is a great privilege to be allowed to train Eminent, and winning a Group 1 for Sir Peter would be wonderful.”

Read The Briefing from 8.30am daily on racingpost.com and the Racing Post mobile app with all the day's latest going, weather, market moves and non-runner news