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Knight remains unbeaten with smooth Horris Hill victory

By Racing TV

Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023

Knight made it two wins in as many starts as he ran out a smart winner of the Virgin Bet Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury.

The son of Mehmas had made a successful start for Simon and Ed Crisford at Yarmouth last last month and he took a huge leap forward to claim this Group Three prize on his second attempt in testing conditions.

Sent off a 10-1 shot in the hands of David Egan, Knight was settled in behind as Grey’s Monument set out to make all in the seven-furlong contest, with Caragio hot on his heels in the early exchanges.

However, Knight could be noted travelling particularly well with a couple of furlongs to run and as Egan switched him between Greys Monument and Ancestral Land to make his challenge, the Crisford runner found a nice change of gear to shoot clear.

While Grey’s Monument was game in defeat, rallying to take second, he proved no match in being beaten a comfortable length and three-quarters with a length back to Ancestral Land in third.

Striking Star was sent off the 9-4 favourite but he failed to figure.

Betfair introduced Knight as a 25-1 shot for next year’s Qipco 2000 Guineas and Ed Crisford believes a spring Classic trial will now be the plan.

He said: “It was hard to guess what he achieved on his first start but he’d trained well after it.

“His sister (Malavath) gets through this ground with a high knee action and we were hopeful he would.

“He’s an exciting colt and probably a Guineas horse who will go for a trial – the Craven or the Greenham.

“The owners (KHK Racing Ltd) are having a great year, winning the Leger and the Mill Reef (with Eldar Eldarov and Sakheer respectively) and they have a few with us.”

Egan added: “He’d definitely improved a lot since the time I last rode him.

“The ground was deep but he grabbed it and really galloped out on it. I liked his action and the way he put the race to bed.”

Magical Sunset shines to land Radley Stakes

Magical Sunset showed her rivals a clean pair of heels as she struck Listed gold in the Galloping To Give Stakes – better known as the Radley Stakes – at Newbury.

Trained by Richard Hannon for owners Amo Racing, the Kodiac filly beat subsequent Mill Reef victor Sakheer on her racecourse debut at Windsor in August before contesting a couple of sales races and winning a Leicester conditions contest last time.

She made the switch to Listed company with aplomb in Berkshire though, with James Doyle checking over his shoulder for possible rivals some way out before sending Magical Sunset about her business.

The filly’s response was impressive, coming home five lengths clear of Fully Wet, who just edged out Direct Security by a neck with the same distance to Secret Solace in fourth.

Magical Sunset was given an initial quote of 33-1 by Betfair for next year’s Qipco 1000 Guineas and Hannon said: “She’s a very good filly who deserved that.

“She was one of the nicest looking yearlings I’d ever seen when I viewed her with Ross (Doyle) at Goff’s.

“She’ll be in everything next year, and I hope there will be better to come.”

Quantum Impact defies ground worries

Quantum Impact (11-4) defied the testing conditions to win the Renegade Brewery Nursery Handicap by two and a quarter lengths.

Trained by Ralph Beckett and ridden by Andrea Atzeni, the son of Invincible Spirit kept on well to see off The Big Board with Fierce back in third.

Beckett was represented by his wife Isabelle, who said: “We weren’t sure how he would be in the ground, but being out of a Galileo mare it proved to be no problem.

“He’s a lovely athletic horse and was given a beautiful ride by Andrea.

“I imagine that will be it for the season.”

Opera Forever strikes for Balding

The Conundrum Consulting EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes was hit by nine non-runners, leaving just seven to go to post for the mile affair.

It looked as though there would be a royal winner as the King’s Value Added entered the final furlong in front, but 9-4 favourite Opera Forever arrived late on the scene to triumph by a neck.

Winning trainer Andrew Balding said: “The dam (Opera Gal) had been disappointing but we always thought this was the nicest of her foals.

“She’s not unlike the mother who was a Listed winner and Group Three placed and stayed a mile and a half.

“We’ll see how she’s working in the spring. She’s by No Nay Never and will get a mile and a quarter.”

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