The Roger Varian trained King Of Steel for Amo Racing is being aimed at some big targets towards the end of the flat season with York, Leopardstown and Ascot all in the mix for the final big Group One events.
King Of Steel was a smart juvenile getting off the mark on debut at Nottingham over 8.5f, bolting up by close to five lengths.
Finishing his juvenile season in the Group One Vertem Futurity Stakes the heavy ground ruined any chances he had finishing back in seventh.
Making his three year old debut up half a mile in trip in the Epsom Derby he ran a cracker to finish half a length back in second when looking the winner two furlongs out behind Auguste Rodin.
Sent to Royal Ascot next time out he went one better than his run on seasonal debut when landing the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot in decisive style.
Stepping into the race of the season when last seen back at Ascot he ran a credible race to finish third in the Group One King George VI & Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, behind Hukum and Westover.
King Of Steel finished the best of the three year olds in the field and looking to get weight off the field again he could now be stepped back in trip with entries for both the Juddmonte International Stakes at York (August 23rd) and Leopardstown’s Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes (September 9th).
He's very smart! Derby second King Of Steel wins the King Edward VII in great style for Kevin Stott, @varianstable and @amoracingltd... #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/4sfOTdZ5qa
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 23, 2023
(Credit ATR) “King Of Steel is in good form and Roger is very happy with him,” said Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager for Amo Racing.
“We’re undecided where we will go at the minute and we’ve got a lot of decisions to make.“
He’s in the Juddmonte, he’s entered in the Irish Champion and we put him in the Champion Stakes at Ascot the other day and I think we believe now that 10 furlongs is his trip. He’s not a slow horse by any means.
Pennington added: “All options are open and we need to speak to Roger.
“At this stage I would say we will probably be leaning towards the Irish Champion Stakes.
“I think we got away with it at Royal Ascot, but as you saw he was keen early in the King George. You could argue coming round into the straight he was the last horse off the bridle and just flattened out the last furlong, Kevin (Stott) said he was running on fumes.
“I think a strongly-run 10 furlongs with an end-to-end gallop is where you will really see him at his best.”