All eyes on Stoute's Expert as dazzling Goodwood winner faces crucial test

3.10 Newbury
Al Basti Equiworld Supporting Greatwood Greenham Stakes | 7f | Group 3 | 3yo colts and geldings | ITV/RUK

Expert Eye will have expert assistance from the saddle as he seeks to reverse the hero to zero collapse that turned him from being last season's most exciting juvenile into a Classic aspirant with much to prove.

At Glorious Goodwood the Sir Michael Stoute-trained youngster was magnificent, tanking into the lead of the Group 2 Vintage Stakes before powering clear to win a race whose form worked out superbly.

That was the good. The bad and the ugly came when he subsequently finished last as 4-7 favourite in the Dewhurst Stakes, doing everything wrong both before and during the juveniles' championship, after which he was reported to be lame.

Andrea Atzeni was aboard Expert Eye at Goodwood and Newmarket but this time Ryan Moore will renew an acquaintance he forged when steering the son of Acclamation to a debut success at the Greenham venue. He does so even though connections know he will not be available should Expert Eye make it to the Qipco 2,000 Guineas, for which he is a best-priced 8-1.

Expert Eye demolished quality opposition at GoodwoodCredit: Mark Cranham

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah, said: "Ryan works very closely with Michael and the horse. This is a very important race for Expert Eye, as we need to get him back on track, so therefore the best man for that job is Ryan.

"After Newbury we'll hopefully have a good idea what we should be doing and the obvious hope is we can get him to the Guineas. He certainly has enough talent to justify going there. It's just a question of getting everything in order."

Grimthorpe, whose boss has won recent Greenhams with superstars Frankel and Kingsman, added: "If you had seen him work before the Dewhurst you would now be a pauper. His work really was exceptional.

"Sadly, the Dewhurst was unsatisfactory in lots of ways. He got pretty hot before going into the stalls, he was then unhappy in the stalls, and then he pulled hard. We knew our fate within three furlongs.

"He has done some stalls work and we've tinkered with little bits but the main thing is he seems to be in a good frame of mind and is taking his work well. He has also schooled in the paddock at Newmarket as part of his therapy. His preparation has been very smooth in every way and has included a smooth piece of work at Chelmsford."

Stressing that the Rowley Mile Classic is very much the aim, Grimthorpe said: "It would be hard to believe the horse who won at Goodwood couldn't do something like it again – and I hope we see that on May 5. The form of that race has been franked so often as well.

"We know he is a very good horse but you have to be exceptional to win a Classic. We hope he can show he is up to that."

What they say

Clive Cox, trainer of Connect
He's done very well over the winter and his prep has been absolutely as we wanted. He's a bigger and stronger individual. Any showers before the race would help him. We're stepping back a furlong in trip because of the ground.

James Tate, trainer of Hey Gaman
I'm very optimistic. He's a massive horse, weighing 560 kilos, so he must have improved from two to three – he certainly has physically. He's bound to improve for the run but I'm hopeful he'll put up his best ever performance. It should take a good horse to go by him.

Hey Gaman (right) is already a Newbury winnerCredit: Mark Cranham

Harry Dunlop, trainer of Fighting Irish
He was very progressive last year but we're well aware this is a tough task, not least because he has to prove himself over seven furlongs. We need to find out if he's a sprinter, a seven-furlong horse or miler.

George Scott, trainer of James Garfield
He's wintered fantastically well and hasn't missed a day, although I also haven't asked too many questions of him yet or looked under the bonnet. We've already seen we come up short when Expert Eye is at his best but if there are any chinks in the favourite I think we'll be on the premises.

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