After a highly successful weekend, both Kings training on the Barbury downland have more than enough reason to appreciate the Sport of Kings description of our sport. Under both codes, each showed his appreciation of the finer points of our varied racing scene.
The headlines led with Alan King's siecind consecutive success in the Qipco Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot, a race bringing with it a lot of expectation from the now leading European stayer, Trueshan. Trueshan has barely put a foot wrong all season, since a 3/4l second to Japan in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester in May. He lost nothing in a 3 3/4l sixth in the highly competitive Northumberland Plate, since when he has found the net on 3 consecutive occasions in Group company.
First, the Goodwood Cup brought a first Group I to Barbury since Brown Jack in the 1920s and '30s. Then relishing the softer ground at Longchamp, a second Group I in the Prix du Cadran brought an international flavourt to his success. Saturday's Long Distance Cup, a Group I in all but name, brought his career earnings to over £1m and the accolade of being the top European stayer.
Although his career has been dominated by runs on easier ground, the temptation to take him to Ascot for the biggest staying race of the lot - the Ascot Gold Cup - will be very strong, especially now the Stradivarius sunbeam is on the wane. Let us pray fro a damp June in 2022!
Meanwhile, the traditional metier of Alan King continued to demonstrate its worth, as Senior Citizen snapped up the richest Jumps race of the week at Market Rasen. The Symphony Group Prelude Chase headeed back to Barbury a second consecutive time, although this was Senior Citizen's first major win. His happy woners, Max McNeill and family, will be headed next to Aintree for the Sefton Chase, and either the big 2 1/2m handicaps, or even the Ryanair Chase must be in King's sights.
Meantime, Neil King, a holler across the hill, has enjoyed a slower start to the season, but scored at one of his favourite racks on Friday when The Knot Is Tied did the business under Daryl Jacob at Fakenham. If truth be told, the King yard has started slower than usual, but this is as much a symtom of unsuitable ground conditions that have halved his number oif Septembewr/October runners from previous years. It looks like the horses might be beginning to run into form.
After a highly successful weekend, both Kings training on the Barbury downland have more than enough reason to appreciate the Sport of Kings description of our sport. Under both codes, each showed his appreciation of the finer points of our varied racing scene.
The headlines led with Alan King's siecind consecutive success in the Qipco Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot, a race bringing with it a lot of expectation from the now leading European stayer, Trueshan. Trueshan has barely put a foot wrong all season, since a 3/4l second to Japan in the Ormonde Stakes at Chester in May. He lost nothing in a 3 3/4l sixth in the highly competitive Northumberland Plate, since when he has found the net on 3 consecutive occasions in Group company.
First, the Goodwood Cup brought a first Group I to Barbury since Brown Jack in the 1920s and '30s. Then relishing the softer ground at Longchamp, a second Group I in the Prix du Cadran brought an international flavourt to his success. Saturday's Long Distance Cup, a Group I in all but name, brought his career earnings to over £1m and the accolade of being the top European stayer.
Although his career has been dominated by runs on easier ground, the temptation to take him to Ascot for the biggest staying race of the lot - the Ascot Gold Cup - will be very strong, especially now the Stradivarius sunbeam is on the wane. Let us pray fro a damp June in 2022!
Meanwhile, the traditional metier of Alan King continued to demonstrate its worth, as Senior Citizen snapped up the richest Jumps race of the week at Market Rasen. The Symphony Group Prelude Chase headeed back to Barbury a second consecutive time, although this was Senior Citizen's first major win. His happy woners, Max McNeill and family, will be headed next to Aintree for the Sefton Chase, and either the big 2 1/2m handicaps, or even the Ryanair Chase must be in King's sights.
Meantime, Neil King, a holler across the hill, has enjoyed a slower start to the season, but scored at one of his favourite racks on Friday when The Knot Is Tied did the business under Daryl Jacob at Fakenham. If truth be told, the King yard has started slower than usual, but this is as much a symtom of unsuitable ground conditions that have halved his number oif Septembewr/October runners from previous years. It looks like the horses might be beginning to run into form.
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