Dermot Weld has opted for Paris to give his potential star Knight To King another step up the educational ladder on Saturday. The regally-bred colt will line up in the Group Two Prix Eugene Adam at Saint Cloud, a E130,000 contest due off at 5.05pm Irish time and live on Sky.
Chris Hayes again takes the mount on the son of Kingman and Irish Guineas heroine Nightime after he earned rave reviews with a winning debut at Gowran last month. After the half-brother to Group One winners Ghaiyyath and Zhukova won by 7½ lengths, Weld commented: “I think he’s pretty similar to them. They all progress and get better with age. They are all very good. Hopefully he’ll follow in their footsteps.”
Knight To King’s four opponents include Godolphin’s Bold Act, third in Royal Ascot’s Hampton Court Stakes, and the supplemented local horse Maniatic, who was runner-up to the subsequent French Derby winner Ace Impact in May.
There is no Irish runner in Saturday’s Group One Grand Prix De Saint-Cloud, for which last year’s Curragh Derby winner Westover is a warm favourite.
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However, Co. Tipperary trainer Fozzy Stack has top-flight ambitions as his Aspen Grove lines up in Saturday night’s $500,000 Belmont Oaks (off at 9.43pm Irish time) in New York. Last to Tahiyra in the Irish Guineas but a Group Three Curragh winner last year, Aspen Grove is an 8-1 shot in US betting for a race in which she will break from the outside of the nine-string field.
Stepped up to 10 furlongs for the first time, Stack has engaged Oisin Murphy to ride. He is in New York principally to ride The Foxes for Andrew Balding in the Belmont Derby (10.49pm.) “Usually they (US Grade One races) are a little bit softer here. I’m not saying that this is, but usually they are – compared to what we’re taking on at home,” Stack told local media. “She should appreciate the step up in trip.”
The sole domestic flat programme this weekend is Saturday’s Naas action, where Coumshingaun, a narrow but well-backed winner at the Irish Derby festival, makes a quick reappearance. Kevin Coleman’s sprinter is 6lbs higher for a fillies handicap and might find a weight concession to Little Queenie too much.
Mariner’s experience could be crucial in a following juvenile maiden won by no less than Auguste Rodin a year ago.
