Fortuitous success for King on Ancient Sands
King had left the track, having ridden Focussed in the earlier premier nursery, when contacted to partner the Joanna Morgan-trained five-year-old after his intended rider Christy Geoghegan was unable to do the weight, a situation at least partly due to a power failure at the track which rendered the sauna useless.
Ancient Sands, a winner at the Curragh on Tuesday, duly delivered — completing a four-timer — at the expense of the progressive three-year-old Stony Grey, to the delight of his trainer. “It was my birthday yesterday and this is a bonus. I though this fellow was a 75-horse, not a 90. He’s improving all the time and has so much confidence in himself — I honestly don’t know why.
