Kinglike has made a successful transition to black type racing in only his third competitive start at Flemington this afternoon; mustering a monumental turn of foot late to beat a talented field to the line in the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m).
Kinglike posted a career-best result to date in winning the 2015 Danehill Stakes. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos
Peter Moody has a huge opinion of the exciting colt, and the son of Exceed And Excel did his chances of success in the Danehill Stakes no harm when jumping from the gates well and settling into a good rhythm through the race’s early stages.
Continuing to receive a good run in transit off the pace of Black Vanquish, Brockhoff and Raphael’s Cat, jockey Glen Boss remained patient on the three-year-old before asking for an extra effort 300m from the post; Kinglike responding with a huge late sprint to charge clear and finish a length and a half ahead of Raphael’s Cat, Ready For Victory boxing on for third.
Boss delivered a typically polished performance aboard Kinglike for success in the Danehill Stakes and was thrilled to repay the faith placed in him by Peter Moody and owner David Moodie.
“He’s just a very, very good colt,” Boss said.
“His first run was outstanding in a highly-rated race as a two-year-old then he came out and smashed them in his second start and Peter put him away.
“I was very fortunate to get on this horse three or four weeks ago in a gallop and I begged David Moodie his owner to ride this colt.
“He’s justified it here today, he’s backed up what I though and Pete’s got a really good colt here.
“He was very vulnerable today because he’s only had two very soft trials and we came here thinking we weren’t where we needed to be with fitness but hoped class would take him a long way, which it did.”
David Moodie was on hand for his colt’s standout success in the Danehill Stakes and revealed the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) down the Flemington straight on October 31st will figure as his major Spring Carnival target.
“We’ve been suspicious for about a month now the horse was going to take the next step.
“Peter’s relayed that his work’s been quite extraordinary. He still looks a bit foal-like, he’s not quite there yet but he’ll be a better horse in six weeks’ time in the Coolmore.
“He’s obviously a stallion prospect now to win like that in a race like that.”
In taking out the 2015 Danehill Stakes, Kinglike has now posted two wins and a close second through his three start career.
