Dark Angel relation to Expert Eye set for bumper debut for Elliott

A Dark Angel three-parts brother to a Breeders' Cup Mile winner is not the sort of pedigree one would imagine running in a bumper at Naas, but Gordon Elliott takes the wraps off the four-year-old relation to Expert Eye on Wednesday.

Bred by Juddmonte, Eyewitness hails from a typically deep family, being not only a close relation to the Banstead Manor Stud resident but also a half-sibling to the winning Kingman pair Duty Of Care and Clerisy.

Exemplify, a daughter of the mighty Dansili, is herself a half-sister to 1,000 Guineas and Cheveley Park heroine Special Duty and is out of Quest To Peak, a full-sister to seven-time Grade 1 heroine Sightseek and a half-sister to Rahy, a dual top-level scorer for Bobby Frankel.

Expert Eye: top-level winner and Banstead Manor Stud residentCredit: Edward Whitaker

Dark Angel enjoyed Grade 1 success over the festive period when his consistent son Silver Streak struck in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, upsetting last season's Champion Hurdle heroine Epatante in the process.

Among the four-year-old's eight rivals are the Willie Mullins-trained Belle Metal, a Soldier Of Fortune filly from the family of Themoonandsixpence, and the Jessica Harrington-trained Boola Boola, an Invincible Spirit half-brother to Group 3 scorer Sky Kingdom.

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