King Of Dixie reigns at York
Former champion jockey Ryan Moore carried out instructions perfectly on King Of Dixie as William Knight’s rising star reigned supreme at York.
On an unusually low-key Knavesmire card, the smooth victory posted by Knight’s up-and-coming Kingmambo colt stole the show and paved the way for connections to plot a path into Group-race company.
After finishing third in the Victoria Cup, King Of Dixie was sent off the well-supported 9-4 favourite for the PD Ports Stakes and while Moore sat a long way off a furious early gallop, his supporters were always sitting pretty.
Quickening smartly inside the distance, he went on to inflict an easy two-and-a-half-length defeat on Godolphin’s Fateh Field.
“I wasn’t unhappy with Paul Doe’s ride on him in the Victoria Cup, but we felt he got there a bit soon so we wanted him to have cover today,” explained Knight.
“I put him in here to see what we had and I’d be hopeful he could win a Group race after that.
“We’ll have to sit down and make a plan, but, thinking out loud, something like the Criterion might be an option.”
King Of Dixie is declared to run at Doncaster on Saturday but seems very unlikely to turn out again after earning his oats at York.
“I’m delighted with him and it would be a bit unfair to ask him to run again tomorrow, although he’d look a certainty after that!” Knight added.
“I had him in at Doncaster just in case it poured down here really.”
Stolt struck a blow for local connections when showing bags of toe to make all in the GWP Architects Stakes.
The 22-1 chance was like a greyhound out of the stalls and never quite looked like being pegged back by 5-2 favourite Crimson Fern, who went down fighting by a neck.
York trainer Noel Wilson was a relieved man after Stolt survived a stewards’ inquiry, having edging left late, and said: “I’ve finally trained a winner here!
“He’s like my other good one Dodaa – when he’s out of the stalls and away like that he doesn’t get beaten.
“He had chipped knees when he was young but he’s come back, loves a battle and has a real will to win.”
Winning jockey Ashley Hamblett was given a warm reception but will be out of action for two days (June 13 and 14) after being found guilty of careless riding.
Humble Opinion gained a hard-fought victory when landing odds of 13-2 in the SKF Stakes, while the Paul Cole-trained Thunderous Mood enhanced his reputation with a taking success in the EBF Yorkshire Regiment Maiden.
The 6-4 joint-favourite stuck his neck out and powered home to see off market equal Viva Ronaldo by three-quarters of a length as the front two pulled a long way clear.
Oliver Cole, son and assistant to winning trainer Paul, said: “He’s so laid-back he needs to be told what to do but he’s a nice horse and will get further.
“Options are open but we like our horses to win before they go to Royal Ascot and it’s possible he could go there.”
