Denied a clear passage on debut when tackling a mile on Newcastle's Tapeta in December, Eydon was an eye-catching third but arguably may well have won had fortune smiled on him before going back over the same course and distance Feb. 19. Sent off the 4-9 favourite, the homebred was denied late by Oceania Legend (Ire) (Australia {GB}) on that occasion and had not offered a compelling reason why he should turn over the likes of the Listed Washington Singer S. winner and G2 Superlative S. runner-up Masekela and the G3 Horris Hill S. runner-up Cresta (Fr) (New Bay {GB}) here.
Anchored in a detached last throughout the early stages by David Egan, the imposing bay made an impressive forward move out wide to swamp Masekela approaching two out and draw away for a resounding success.
“He's a lovely horse, but he's a big horse, he's come here weighing nearly 550 kilos and that's why he has taken a bit of time,” trainer Roger Varian commented. “Big horses always seem to take plenty of time. We've always rated him, he's always worked nicely at home. He galloped out well there and he'll get further, he's an exciting horse. He was entered in the Craven and we were weighing up the options of Craven or nine furlongs, but the Prince [Faisal] said 'don't go for a novice or a maiden, go for the Feilden if you're happy with him' and this is hopefully another nice horse for the Prince, who has had so many nice horses over the years. The way he's won here would justify an ambitious plan.”
Varian added, “I got it wrong on his second start but he ran very well on his debut and if you watch that back, he looked a jolly nice horse although he didn't win. As we were saddling him we said the horse will be delighted that he didn't have to go up the A1 today and he has probably enjoyed a short trip down the road.
“We always thought he would be better on grass than on the all-weather and his work over the last fortnight had been good.
“I have to thank Prince Faisal really, A for sending me the horse to train as he has been very supportive of me throughout my career. Prince Faisal is very knowledgeable, and he saw the promise from this horse on his debut. The Prince has had so many great horses and he owned the sire Olden Times who won this race a few years ago.”
Although Eydon holds entries for the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas, G2 Dante S. and the G1 Cazoo Derby, his next start is up in the air.
Varian continued, “I won't make any decisions without speaking to the Prince. We will see how he comes out of the race but he is well entered up. I'm not sure where we go next, but he has got all the entries. The way he won here he would justify an ambitious plan and is something to look forward to I think.”
The winner is the first foal out of the dam, who died as a 7-year-old and is a half to four black-type performers including the Listed Sandringham H. winner and G3 Nell Gwyn S. third Festivale (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and her Listed Prix de Saint-Patrick-winning full-sister Arctic Gyr (Ire). Moon Mountain has left the 2-year-old filly Hopeful (GB) (Make Believe {GB}) and a yearling filly by Kingman (GB).
BET365 FEILDEN S.-Listed, £52,000, Newmarket, 4-14, 3yo, 9fT, 1:50.89, gd.
1–EYDON (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Olden Times (GB)
1st Dam: Moon Mountain (GB), by Frankel (GB)
2nd Dam: Cephalonie, by Kris S.
3rd Dam: Heraklia, by Irish River (Fr)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Prince A. A. Faisal; B-Nawara Stud
Limited (IRE); T-Roger Varian; J-David Egan. £29,489. Lifetime
Record: 3-1-1-1, $42,371.
2–Masekela (Ire), 126, c, 3, El Kabeir–Lady's Purse (GB), by
Doyen (Ire). (€35,000 Wlg '19 GOFNOV; 30,000gns Ylg '20
TATOCT). O-Mick and Janice Mariscotti; B-Coolawn Stud (IRE);
T-Andrew Balding. £11,180.
3–Austrian Theory (Ire), 126, c, 3, Awtaad (Ire)–Cedar Sea (Ire),
by Persian Bold (Ire). (30,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Dr J
Walker; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd and P A Byrne (IRE); T-Mark
Johnston. £5,595.
Margins: 3 1/4, 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 22.00, 2.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: Sonny Liston (Ire), Cresta (Fr), Dawn of Liberation (Ire).
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