King's English Reigns

An impressive last start winner, King’s English (3 c Snitzel – English, by Encosta de Lago) repeated the dose in the $55,000 Elsdon Park 3YO 1200 metres on 11 January at Ellerslie.

The royally bred colt broke through stylishly when winning by five and three-quarter lengths in the Maiden 1150 metres on 26 November at Te Aroha, after running on well for third in his first two starts at Taupo, and trainers Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson gave him time (46 days) before presenting him again.

Ridden by Champion Jockey Craig Grylls, who was also aboard at Te Aroha, King’s English settled off the pace on this occasion and stood the leaders a decent start passing the 300m, but once produced into a gap he quickened like a good colt to get the job done.

“I hoped to be handy like last time when he jumped with them, but he just didn’t hit the ground running today,” Grylls said.

“So, I was back there with them, and he started looming into it to get a gap at the 200m and it was pretty exciting the way he jumped out of the ground inside the last 100m.

“I think the penny is only just starting to drop with him now, but he’s got any amount of ability and he’s going to be exciting for the future.”

Now the winner of two from four, King’s English ran 1200 metres in 1:11.0, last 600m in 33.9 (approx.), on Good4 footing, and paid $2.50 & $1.60 on the NZ TAB tote.

“It was a really good win, today, first time around Ellerslie, and a lovely ride of Craig’s,” Walker said. “He got an economical trip and then he was patient, waited, and got the right run at the right time. 

“He really accelerated nicely to win, so he is definitely tracking in the right direction. I liked the fact that he was happy to take a position behind them. He would have learnt a lot from the experience and he’ll go on to black type opportunities now in the Almanzor Trophy.

“The boys at the Colt Barn have done a great job with him. He hasn’t been the easiest colt to deal with, but he getting better, racing accordingly, and the win will give him great confidence going forward."

The 250,000 Group 3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m) is contested on Karaka Millions Night (Saturday 24 January) at Ellerslie.

On course, Bergerson said: “He got back in a tricky spot, but fair play to the horse, he quickened when he needed to. It was a really patient ride by Gryllsy and he’s in fantastic form.

“The horse is getting better and better. He taken a bit of time, with a few maturity issues early on, but slowly putting it all together. 

“The Almanzor Trophy seems the logical step as long as he comes through the race well. We tend to space his runs because he does feel them a little bit, so hoping he can come through it well and you’d have to think he’d be a really strong chance off that win.”

Owned by the Te Akau 2024 Sydney Stallion Breeding Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), King’s English was purchased by David Ellis CNZM at the 2024 Inglis Easter Sale, from the draft of Newhaven Park.

“We bought him from one of the great studs (Newhaven Park) in Australia, and he’s impeccably bred by Snitzel out of the Champion Mare English,” said Ellis, who is inspecting yearlings at the Magic Millions Sales complex, ahead of the Gold Coast Yearling Sale (Jan. 13 – 18). 

“He was solid in his first two starts, but he’s really stepped up with two good wins and it looks like he’s got a big future.

“It was impressive to see the way he raced clear to win by such a big margin at Te Aroha, and now he’s stepped up at Ellerslie, so it’s exciting to watch his promise unfold.

“Mark and Sam, with Reece and the team at the Colt Barn have done a great job managing him through to be racing in great form at the right time of year, and his ability to accelerate at the business end is really good to see.

“We’re here on the Gold Coast, inspecting yearlings ahead of the sale, and we’ll be looking to buy some lovely yearlings to fill our Colts’ and Fillies’ Syndicates - and other good value for money horses too.”

By the four-time Champion Sire Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), King’s English is the second foal from very good sprinter English: Champion 2YO Filly, Champion 3YO Filly, and Champion Female Sprinting Mare in Australia, by Champion Sire and quadruple Champion Broodmare Sire Encosta de Lago (Fairy King).

English was a Group 2 winner before finishing runner-up in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) as a two-year-old, and recorded Group 1 victories in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) and Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m).

She was a terrifically determined sprinter that included three Group 2 wins at Randwick, and earned nearly $3.5 million in prize money.

King’s English is bred on the same Snitzel/Encosta de Lago cross as Group 1 winner Sword Of State, whom Ellis also purchased as a yearling from the draft of Newgate Farm. Champion Two-Year-Old, Sword Of State is now an exciting young sire standing at Cambridge Stud, and is already represented by Listed Magic Millions Debutante Stakes' (1000m) winner Torture, after his first crop yearlings sold up to $540,000. 

Following Maiden win by King’s English, Ellis had said: “We’ve had a great relationship with the Kelly family, John and Charles (Newhaven Park), one of the best breeders in Australia, and he was a beautiful colt in every respect when we bought him.

“We’d bought Sword Of State, bred on the same cross, and it’s one of the best pedigrees you can buy. 

“He’s a great specimen, a lovely loose walker and has plenty of rein in his physique, which will stand by him as he matures.

“It really is a stallion’s pedigree and has all the right hallmarks of an exciting thoroughbred.”

King’s English carries a nicely balanced cross of Danzig, as the sire of Danehill on the sire line and sire of grand-dam sire Anabaa on the dam line of English. 

King’s English was strapped by Tom Murphy. 

Photo credit - Kenton Wright - www.raceimages.co.nz