Gallant King rules at Te Rapa
The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained The Night King posted an overdue victory when he rallied strongly to score at Te Rapa this afternoon.
The son of Savabeel had been around the mark in a handful of previous appearances and showed an abundance of tenacity to secure his breakthrough win.
The Night King sat in fourth spot before peeling three-wide with 600 metres to run and was in front on straightening. He was clearly headed before rider Ryan Elliot got to work and the 3-year-old fought back gallantly.
Bred by Waikato Stud, the gelding was sold at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale with Forsman signing the ticket at $70,000.
The Night King is a son of the Pins mare Snowdrop, who won six races and was twice a black-type placegetter.
She is a daughter of the three-time Group 1 winner Daffodil with the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Aegon also a member of this family.
The Corner with Garry Chittick
It would appear I now have to continue my weekly Corner with the amount of rumblings at the start of our new racing season. I have been around long enough to know we can never please all; my tenure as Chairman of the Racing Board was subjected to as much vitriol as subsequent Boards have had to bear, so what’s different this time, or is it different.
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First foal for Waikato’s Group 1 winner Skew Wiff
Group 1-winning Savabeel mare Skew Wiff (ex Starvoia), known affectionately as ‘Wiffy’, foaled a filly by Super Seth in the early hours of Wednesday, 5 August.
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