The King's Stand Stakes
THE KING’S STAND STAKES - G1 Straight Five Furlongs
This has almost become Australia’s race starting back in 2003 when the trailblazing Choisir caused mayhem after ending up in England, missing the Krisflyer following the SARS breakout out in Singapore. Since then Takeover Target won at his first of three attempts, Miss Andretti scored easily a year later and Scenic Blast came two years on. And there’ve been numerous placings from Oz as well. Who win in 2013?
Previous Winners - Last 10 Years
* Run at York
PROFILING THE RACE OVER RECENT YEARS
o Race became a Group One in 2008.
o Australia has had 15 runners in the last decade for 4 x wins, 2 x seconds, 1 x third and 3 x fourths.o Vincent O’Brien holds the record with five wins as a trainer.
o Lester Piggott has the jockey’s history with seven wins.o Winners have come from all ages from 7yo to 3yo.
o Not that many favourites have saluted with Miss Andretti the shortest at 3-1.o Winner’s Lead Up Races - Prix Du Gros-Chene (3), Prix De Saint-Georges (1), Sha Tin Sprinters Cup (1), Temple Stks (1), Spell (4)
RECENT WINNERS
2012 - LITTLE BRIDGE 6g (Faltaat x Golden Rose) (12-1)
Jockey: Zac Purton, Trainer: Danny ShumBarrier: 7, Weight: 59.0kg, Gross Time: 59.69
Margin: 0.75L, Track: Dead, Starters: 222nd: Bated Breath (59.0kg), 3rd: Sole Power (59.0kg)
Review: A lot of the talk for this race was just how good Ortensia would be using the Black Caviar form angles. Well she may not quite have acclimatised yet (although she would show her class later in the season) but another horse from half way around the world did the job. Little Bridge had won the Sprint Cup at Sha Tin so was a good horse but was he up to G1. Jumping from a middle gate he was happy to lead them out coming up the far rail. Purton had him to the front a furlong out and he kept on striding clear by near a length. In the footsteps of Cape Of Good Hope, he gave Hong Kong a big win but with an Aussie jockey this time.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Barrier: 14, Weight: 59.0kg, Gross Time: 59.50
Margin: 0.5L, Track: Dead, Starters: 192nd: Star Witness (59.0kg), 3rd: Sweet Sanette (57.5kg)
Review: Oasis Dream was a top sprinter a decade ago winning multiple G1s including the July Cup over Choisir. His son Prohibit was considered much more a journeyman, handicapping type than a set weights horse. But after a couple of placings at G2 level at Haydock and Chantilly, he was ready to rumble. He got a long way back in a fast run race and some of the leaders dropped off. Still four off them at the furlong, he rattled home. It was left to the invaders Star Witness and Sweet Sanette to fill the placings.
2010 - EQUIANO 5h (Acclamation x Entente Cordiale) (9-2)
Jockey: Michael Hills, Trainer: Barry HillsBarrier: 2, Weight: 59.0kg, Gross Time: 59.00
Margin: 1.5L, Track: Good, Starters: 122nd: Markab (59.0kg), 3rd: Borderlescott (59.0kg)
Review: In another link to Choisir, Acclamation was runner-up to him in this very race in 2003. Now he had as a flagbearer Equiano who was originally from Spain but moved from the Delcher-Sanchez yard to Barry Hills in late 2008, but after he’d already won the King’s Stand back in June of that year over Takeover Target. He failed to defend the title behind Scenic Blast but a further 12 months on, he was in sparkling form winning races in the lead up. He dipped on jumping but held the near side fence and did what he’d done in his previous win. It was a far more dominant performance though. Nicconi got a long way back and stayed on without looking like a winner.
