King handed Bentink target

Baltic King could bid for compensation at Newmarket after finishing a slightly unlucky second in the Diadem Stakes at Ascot yesterday.

The six-year-old is being considered for the Group Three Bentinck Stakes at Headquarters on October 13, a race in which he finished runner-up to Welsh Emperor last season.

Connections hope he could go one better after filling the same slot in Sunday’s Group Two sprint when beaten a length and a quarter by Red Clubs, who veered across the course in the closing stages.

“He’s come out of it fantastically well – he hardly had a race,” explained trainer Hughie Morrison.

“I think as much as anything they didn’t go a great gallop to start with. When he started to make his move he had nowhere to go, that’s why an objection was lodged.

“No horse is going to gallop up the backside of another. He had nowhere to go, the winner took our ground – it’s called intimidation in my book.

“I was irritated as I feel the rule has gone too far the wrong way, but I’m very pleased with him and he’s come out of it really well.

“There’s the Bentinck Group Three at Newmarket he could go for. If we got carried away we could supplement him for the Abbaye at Longchamp on Sunday but I think that’s unlikely.”