Major Dundee produced a tough staying performance to win the Boulton Group Midlands Grand National Handicap Chase at Uttoxeter on Saturday.
A tasty 12/1 shot at the off, Major Dundee jumped well throughout under the guidance of Rex Dingle to beat Chris Honour's Tile Tapper by three lengths, and could now feature in the Scottish Grand National in which he finished third last season.
King said: "I'm absolutely thrilled. It's been a difficult season because we ran him at Ascot in the early season and he just got jarred up.
"It's been a struggle to get him back, he ran OK at Kempton the other day but he's just much better going left-handed. I was thrilled with him today.
"It's the first ride that Rex has ever had for me and the one thing I said to him was just to try to get into a rhythm and then see what happens.
"That's exactly what he did, got him travelling, got him jumping. I was very pleased all round.
"He's had a hard race today on that ground, I would imagine it would be the Scottish Grand National or that's him for the year, we'll see. I'm delighted to win that race and he's still a young horse, so there's hopefully more to come.
"As a novice last year he finished third in the Scottish National. He's a typical Hemmings type of horse so it's very special."
