Kingsguard Rules at Ellerslie

Boasting solid form on the course, Kingsguard   (6 g Rip Van Winkle - Her Royal Highness, by Volksraad) resumed with a win in the $35,000 Electrolux Sprint (1200m) on 30 March at Ellerslie. 

Racing in the Windsor Park Stud colours, Kingsguard had placed three times at Ellerslie, including a second to Te Akau trained 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) winner Xtravagant (Pentire), before going on to win five races together with the Hawkesbury Cup (Gr. 3, 1600m) and stakes of $457,000 in Australia.

Having his first start for trainer Jamie Richards, he worked strongly on Thursday morning and presented very well for his fresh-up assignment. Ridden by Te Akau apprentice Nik Bakar, with weight relief to 57kgs, Kingsguard travelled sweetly at the head of affairs, quickened when asked to extend early in the home straight and staved off challengers defiantly.

On Good3 footing, Kingsguard ran the 1200 metres in a slick 1:09.4, last 600m in 32.7, and paid $14.80 & $4.70 on the NZ TAB. 

“It was a great ride by Nik and very exciting for him to get his first win at Ellerslie before he heads back to Singapore to work for Mark Walker, on Monday, so a great result,” said Te Akau Racing Manager Libby Richards.

“He'd won five races in Australia, had two encouraging trials for us and we are still learning about him, but he'll go on from this when he steps up to 1400 metres.”

Also raced by Windsor Park, his dam, Her Royal Highness (Volksraad), was an impressive stakes winning mare up to a mile. 

“It's a privilege to have a horse of his quality in the stable and be chosen to train him,” said Jamie Richards. “His two trials had been okay and the Windsor Park boys were pretty confident he was better right-handed. 

“We'd had this race picked out for a little while and I think the three-kilo claim certainly helped. There didn't map to be a lot of speed in the race and I said for Nik to go forward, use your claim, and thankfully he held on well.

“The win will give the horse a lot of confidence and stand him in good stead for where we head next. To be fair, the tracks are probably going to change (get wetter) and he'll be a horse for next season but he's still got life in his legs and if we don't see much more of him on deteriorating tracks I think he will be an exciting horse to look out for heading into Christmas time.”

Te Akau principal David Ellis purchased the yearling half-sister by Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor) for $110,000 from the Windsor Park draft at the Karaka Book 1 Sale this year - and she is fully sold.

“We've got a lot of horses in work for Windsor Park and we've had a really good association with them for 35 years,” Ellis said. “They're great breeders and we like buying horses from them. We bought five yearlings from them at the Karaka sale this year, including the half to Kingsguard, and they do the job really well. 

“They're a great family, astute business people, and we really appreciate all the support we get from the breeders.”

Kingsguard was strapped by Raj Rasheed. 

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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