Colt by Snitzel out of Champion English records faster time than the Benchmark 65 winners later on the card, and devastatingly breaks his maiden.
Te Aroha, 26 November – Newhaven Park’s long-awaited Snitzel colt King’s English delivered a performance that sent shockwaves through New Zealand racing circles, demolishing a maiden field by an official 5.8 lengths in the Diprose Miller Maiden (1150m) and, remarkably, running 0.37 seconds faster than the two Benchmark 65 winners over the same trip later on the card (1:06.81 vs 1:07.18 and 1:07.25).
Trained by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson for Te Akau Racing, the $1.60 favourite had finished a creditable third at his first two starts on rain-affected tracks. Given his first opportunity on a genuine Good 3 surface and, for the first time, ridden positively on the speed by Craig Grylls, the response was immediate and brutal.
Settled outside the leader, he travelled sweetly into the straight before exploding clear under hands and heels, ears pricked in the closing stages.
The performance instantly stamped him as a serious summer carnival contender. A Pedigree Built at Newhaven Park King’s English is the second foal out of dual Group 1 heroine and former champion 2YO and 3YO filly English (Encosta de Lago), a homebred icon for the Kelly family’s Newhaven Park in Boorowa, NSW. English earned over A$3.4 million and is from one of the stud’s cornerstone families: her dam Couture (Elusive Quality) and grand-dam Splish (Zeditave) were also bred and raced by Newhaven Park.
Purchased for A$700,000 by David Ellis at the 2024 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale on behalf of the Te Akau 2024 Sydney Stallion Breeding Syndicate, the colt has long been earmarked as a flagship for the operation.
Post-race reaction
Co-trainer Mark Walker posted on Te Akau’s social channels moments after the win: “It’s been an absolute demo job – winning with a leg in the air!! King’s English was spirited pre-race & on the track he blitzed them! Son of Snitzel out of brilliant race mare English – beautifully navigated by Craig Grylls, thrilled for his owners! NZ win 40 for the season! #thewinningcontinues.”
Jockey Craig Grylls, speaking trackside, was equally effusive: “He jumped much cleaner today, and I was able to ride him positively for the first time – a completely different horse. He travelled like a dream on top of the ground, and when I popped the question at the 300m, he just took off. The clock doesn’t lie – that’s black-type time on a maiden. Exciting days ahead. ”
With the Karaka Million and Sistema Stakes series now firmly on the radar, King’s English has announced himself as one of the most exciting three-year-old colts in the country – and a walking advertisement for Newhaven Park’s golden female family.
– Tully Potts
The South West Slopes Times covers an area approximately the size of Fiji in country NSW. We look after a population of more than 50,000 people with our staff servicing 7 major towns and dozens of villages with our story telling footprint.
We offer weekly print editions at $3 a copy and we also offer digital subscriptions across 3 months $30, 6 months $60 and 12 months $120.
We are one of the last truly local independent family run newspaper businesses in the state.
Contact us today to find out how we can promote your business or organisation across our huge network by emailing ads@thetimes.net.au or by calling 0413 763 216.
If you have a news tip, lead or scoop for us please make contact as we love celebrating our communities. You can contribute articles via our South West Slopes Times website.
