Knight To King

Knight To King can be marked up at least a little on the bare form of the performance that he put up in finishing third in the Amethyst Stakes at Leopardstown on Sunday. Settled back, fourth of the five runners, early on by Chris Hayes, he travelled well up on the outside early in the home straight. He just got caught a little flat-footed when they quickened in front, and he wasn’t helped when Real Appeal came up on his outside. He was short of room as they raced inside the final furlong, he had to check back in order to go forward but, when he did, he finished off his race strongly to take third place behind Bold Discovery and Real Appeal, beaten just over a length and closing all the way to the line.

It was a fine run by Dermot Weld’s colt, dropping back in trip to a mile for the first time. Winner of his maiden over nine and a half furlongs on his racecourse debut at Gowran Park last year, he ran well on his debut this season to take second place behind Sunchart in the Listed Devoy Stakes, over 10 and a half furlongs on heavy ground at Navan, when he shaped as if a less arduous test would suit. A mile on good ground in a race run at a moderate pace probably didn’t present a stiff enough test for the Newtown Anner Stud’s colt, and a stiff mile off a fast pace, or an easy 10 furlongs on goodish ground could be optimal. He is immaculately-bred, by Kingman out of the Irish Guineas winner Nightime (nicely-named too), and he will be of interest wherever he goes next.

Leopardstown, 12^th May 2024