An explosive performance by King’s Gambit in the AUD175,000 Listed Debutante Stakes has bolstered what is already a heady start to the current Australian juvenile racing season for China Horse Club.
The new two-year-old racing season is only two weeks and four stakes races old, but the red and gold of China Horse Club is uniquely placed with co-ownership in King’s Gambit and Empire of Japan while also being a co-owner and the breeder of impressive runner-up Perfect Proposal.
Rating analyst, Dan O’Sullivan of The Rating Bureau, assessed King’s Gambit’s win as the most impressive juvenile performance seen to date for the new racing season. The colt’s five length win trumping the G3 Breeders’ Plate performance of Empire of Japan which was assessed as the best display in that time honoured contest for the last five years.
“[King’s Gambit’s] 101.7 rating performance and the way he produced it without seemingly being pushed to his maximum well and truly marks him as a serious two-year-old talent,” O’Sullivan wrote on Racing.com.
“Just 11 individual two-year-olds from over 19,000 in my database have rated higher than 101.5 on debut… have included two subsequent Golden Slipper winners (Capitalist and Estijaab), two Magic Millions winners (Houtzen and Coolangatta – plus Capitalist) and a Blue Diamond winner (Extreme Choice.)
“Tassort only had one more run before going amiss, while Brutal debuted late in the season and only had one start as a two-year-old. [Brutal] went on to win a G1 Doncaster Handicap as a three-year-old. Kings Gambit did more than enough at Caulfield on Saturday to suggest that he has the potential to win a G1 Blue Diamond Stakes or Golden Slipper.”
King’s Gambit is expected to target the AUD1,000,000 Golden Gift, a race China Horse Club and Sir Owen Glenn (also a co-owner in King’s Gambit) won in 2019 with the exceptional Dame Giselle.
“The colt syndicate China Horse Club, Newgate Farm and partners have formed over several years now has been very rewarding and, while it is still very early in the season, there does look to be a deep pool of talent again this year,” said Mike Smith, China Horse Club’s Australian Representative.
“King’s Gambit couldn’t have been more impressive in his display in the Debutante Stakes. Empire of Japan was exceptional in the Breeders’ Plate and there is some unseen stock that may also make the grade.
“In addition, Perfect Proposal, who China Horse Club also bred, was wonderfully brave when running-up in the G3 Gimcrack Stakes as well and Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott are very taken by her.”
If you would like to learn more about the China Horse Club exclusive membership offer, please email your inquiry to horses@chinahorseclub.com.