Lone Eagle in contention for Hardwicke Stakes

Martyn Meade has reported Lone Eagle in fine form following his Goodwood reappearance and is looking forward to running the four-year-old at Royal Ascot, providing conditions do not get too quick.

The son of Galileo finished a neck second in the Irish Derby last summer before picking up an injury in the King George at Ascot, which meant he was sat on the sidelines for the remainder of his three-year-old season.

He returned from a 301-day layoff to finish third behind Third Realm at Goodwood in the Tapster Stakes last month and although a touch disappointed the colt was unable to pick up the victory, Meade admits he did not have Lone Eagle fully wound up for his reappearance.

He said: “He’s really good, he’s come out of the race at Goodwood really well. Obviously I was a bit disappointed he didn’t actually win the race, but I hadn’t overdone him at home.

“Coming back from injury we were very conscious of that, so he was sort of going into that race not exactly absolutely tuned to the minute. I was quite pleased with the way he ran and he just basically needed it really.

“It’s onwards and upwards from there. He’s come back and is in fighting form, there’s been no reoccurrence of any of his issues.

“We could run him at Ascot in something like the Hardwicke Stakes maybe. It would work if the ground was good, but we wouldn’t run him if it was firm.”