King Of Steel Another Royal Winner For Wootton Bassett
Epsom Derby runner-up King Of Steel (3c Wootton Bassett - Eldacar, by Verglas) ran out a commanding winner of the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes to provide Wootton Bassett with his second success at Royal Ascot this week.
An impressive debut winner last October, the Amo Racing-owned colt impressed when drawing clear on his seasonal return at Epsom, only to be collared close home by Auguste Rodin. That performance saw him sent off a short-priced favourite on Friday, with retained rider Kevin Stott positioning Roger Varian’s charge at the back of the field. Making smooth headway from three furlongs out, he was ridden to lead after the two furlong pole and kept on well inside the final furlong to win by three and a half lengths. The Aidan O’Brien-trained Continuous claimed runners-up honours, while Artistic Star (Galileo) finished another two and a half lengths further back in third.
“He’s a super horse,” a relieved Roger Varian said after the race. “He confirmed what he did in the Derby, which is very satisfying. He is a beautiful horse and for a big horse he is so agile.”
On future plans, the trainer continued, “The Grand Prix de Paris is what we’d like to do but a lot can change with horses, so let’s see how he is tomorrow.”
“It’s huge,” Stott added. “He ran a massive race in the Derby and it’s nice he’s proved it wasn’t a fluke. He’s the best middle-distance horse I’ve sat on by a long way.”
Bred by BCF Services, King Of Steel becomes a 23rd individual Group winner by Wootton Bassett. River Tiber (Wootton Bassett) added to his sire’s honour roll earlier this week when extending his unbeaten record in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes.