John McArdle to tackle Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final with Eye Of The Eagle

McArdle won the 2004 VRC Oaks with the classy filly Hollow Bullet less than a year after earning his trainer’s licence.

“I had my first runner in December 2003 and won the Oaks in 2004,” McArdle said.

Hollow Bullet was the horse McArdle needed to kickstart his training business.

As well as the Oaks, Hollow Bullet won the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes and Group 1 Arrowfield Stakes in Sydney.

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McArdle said Hollow Bullet’s narrow Oaks win with David Taggart in the saddle changed his life.

“It was probably lucky for both me and ‘Tags’ that she was a Group-winning sprinter because she just outsprinted them, but she won well,” McArdle said.

“She was a very good horse.

“She ran second to Alinghi in the Thousand Guineas and she won the Thousand Guineas Prelude so her and Alinghi won all the three-year-old fillies’ races that spring.”

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McArdle will run Eye Of The Eagle in the MCC Country Cup Final after the gelding qualified for the event with his win in the Sale heat of the series on October 27.

Eye Of The Eagle would also notch an important milestone for McArdle if successful at Flemington as he would give the trainer his 600th win.

McArdle said one query hovered over Eye Of The Eagle’s chances on Thursday.

“It’s a good money race and he’s won his way into it,” McArdle said.

“Whether he runs the mile or not is a little query, but he has won over 1500(m).

“We might be holding our breath in the last 20m if things work out.”

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Drawing perfectly in barrier three should help Eye Of The Eagle see out the 1600m.

McArdle said a similar passage to Eye Of The Eagle’s Sale win would take the five-year-old a long way towards his biggest win.

“If (jockey) Zac (Spain) can ride him like he did at Sale last start and he runs the mile, then it would hopefully be another good day on Oaks Day,” McArdle said.

Ladbrokes rated Eye Of The Eagle as a $19 chance to give McArdle another Oaks Day memory.

Originally published as John McArdle to tackle Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final with Eye Of The Eagle