Galloper turns back clock

Former Hong Kong galloper King’s Cross picked up where he left off at Ellerslie nearly three years ago when he made a perfect return to racing yesterday.

The son of Shinko King was successful at his second start on the course in 2015 before transferring from Stephen Marsh’s stable to Manfred Man in Hong Kong where he raced as Power Of One.

The move didn’t work out with a third placing at Sha Tin his best effort in nine starts and the gelding was repatriated to the Smithies family’s Monovale Farm at Cambridge.

“He never settled in Hong Kong and Joe and Max rang me and said they were going to bring him home and now we race the horse together, it’s a great result,” Marsh said.

King’s Cross was given a lengthy spell on his return and a trial success in October was the forerunner to his dashing victory in yesterday’s Withers & Co Chartered Accountants Handicap (1200m).

The six-year-old settled three back on the rail under rider Danielle Johnson and once she angled off the fence the gelding rounded off strongly.

“His trial was very good and he’s a very smart horse,” Marsh said.

King’s Cross was bred by Monovale, who celebrated a winning double when Clarify produced a strong performance to claim the Dunstan Feeds Stayers’ Championship Qualifier (2100m).

Prepared for them by Peter McKay and ridden by the trainer’s son Shaun, the Savabeel gelding lobbed along in fourth spot andproved to be far too good in the straight.

Clarify was originally to have headed south for the group three New Zealand Cup (3200m) until an issue surfaced a week out from the Riccarton feature.

“I worked him over ground the Saturday before the Cup, but he tied up so I had to back off and freshen him up,” McKay said.

Clarify’s revised target is now the Dunstan Feeds Stayers’ Championship Final (2200m) back at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.