'He’s got him dead right' - Tom Marquand hails Charlie Fellowes as The Wizard Of Eye lands Victoria Cup

A switch to hold-up tactics paid dividends for The Wizard Of Eye, who was delivered with perfection by Tom Marquand to make a successful stable debut for Charlie Fellowes in the Victoria Cup.

Gelded since finishing last of seven in Listed company at Newbury in September on his final start for Stan Moore, The Wizard Of Eye was winless in eight previous outings over seven furlongs.

The 7-1 shot had not been seen on the track for 232 days – the longest absence of the 21 runners – but defied that layoff and lack of winning form over the trip to land the feature £100,000 handicap by a head from Ramazan.

The Wizard Of Eye had run over as far as 1m2f during his time with Moore, with whom he won twice including the Listed Hyde Stakes, but demonstrated the speed he had shown Fellowes at home in Newmarket to end a seven-race losing run since that Kempton success.

"It was a big shout from Charlie and he’s got him dead right," Marquand told Sky Sports Racing. "I probably sat on him for half-a-furlong longer than I thought was right but I had Charlie’s words ringing in my ears.

"He’s very talented, he’s shown that before, but to get him back in this order, they’ve done a good job."

The five-year-old ran in the Group 1 Jean-Luc Lagardere as a juvenile and in the 2,000 Guineas and, after capitalising on a mark of 99, could return to the highest level.

"He’s picked up great and things could go even more in his favour on a track like this than they did today," said Marquand. "It’s exciting for Charlie to have a horse like this in the stable."

The Wizard Of Eye was halved to 25-1 (from 50) with Coral for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, the six-furlong Group 1 at Royal Ascot next month.

Woods winner

Northcliff provided apprentice Sorcha Woods with a winner from his first ride in Britain at Chelmsford last Thursday and he helped the Mike Murphy and Michael Keady-trained 20-1 shot follow up in the 6f handicap. 

It was a first turf success at the 23rd attempt for Northcliff, who was Woods's first Ascot mount.

Royal aim

Xanthe is likely to return to Ascot for next month's Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes after making a successful debut under Pat Dobbs in the 5f novice for Richard Hannon.

Brilliant Bellarchi

Sean Dylan Bowen’s first ride for trainer Grant Tuer helped the pair earn a breakthrough victory at the Berkshire venue when Bellarchi landed the mile handicap.

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