Expert Eye gives James McDonald first Royal Ascot success

Expert Eye, one-time favourite for the 2,000 Guineas, began restoring his tarnished reputation with an impressive win in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes to give jockey James McDonald a first success at Royal Ascot and trainer Sir Michael Stoute a 77th.

The Khalid Abdullah-owned colt scored by four and a half lengths, crowning another memorable day at the royal meeting for Stoute, who had earlier landed the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes with Poet's Word.

Only tenth in the Newmarket Classic last month, Expert Eye, an 8-1 shot, clicked with new rider McDonald, himself starting redemption from his betting misdemeanour that landed him an 18-month ban in 2016.

James McDonald: rode his first Royal Ascot winner aboard Expert EyeCredit: Edward Whitaker

The race, moved back this year to close day two, rather than open proceedings, produced a worthy climax to the afternoon, with Irish 1,000 Guineas runner-up Could It Be Love attempting to make all under Ryan Moore as the pair raced clear of the field, which split into two groups.

However, Could It Be Love tired and drifted right to the far rail entering the final furlong as McDonald produced Expert Eye with the type of withering run that had been missing in his three outings since his scintillating success in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood last summer.

Stoute, now the winningmost trainer at Royal Ascot, moved one behind John Gosden in the race to be leading trainer at this year's meeting.

Acknowledging that Expert Eye appears to have an aversion to running at Newmarket, Stoute said: "It certainly looks that way."

Asked if he had found a reason for the colt not producing anything like his best at that particular track, Stoutes quipped: "I've asked him but he wouldn't reply!"

He continued: "A lot of work has gone into this horse at home. My staff deserve a lot of credit – James Savage, my head man who rides him out every morning, and I'd like to mention Gary Witheford and his son Craig for the stalls work they did with him, and also Ted Durcan who played his part too.

"Expert Eye was such a good two-year-old until things went wrong in the Dewhurst. I'm just so thrilled to see him back in this sort of form."

Society Power and Jamie Spencer got up by a neck to beat Could It Be Love for second place.

Expert Eye: recaptured his Vintage Stakes form from last yearCredit: Mark Cranham

St Patrick's Day, a brother to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, was withdrawn from the race in the morning due to ground conditions.

The colt, like Could It Be Love trained by Aidan O'Brien, had been due to make his European debut at Leopardstown last week but was withdrawn after rearing up in the stalls and hitting his head.

Connections will be hoping it's a case of third time lucky for a colt who won the second of his two starts in the US for Bob Baffert last year.

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