Jockey James McDonald rates Knight’s Tour better than Victoria Derby winner Sangster after his victory in the Great Northern Guineas at Ellerslie.
McDonald knows Sangster as well as most jockeys, having ridden him in all his lead-up races before being replaced by Hugh Bowman for the Derby, and he says Knight’s Tour is “heaps better”.
“Sangster is a nice horse but this horse has got something else about him,” McDonald said after the colt won the Group Two 1600m race at his third start.
“He’s got a lot of upside.”
McDonald settled Knight’s Tour outside leader Vincent Street and went to the front early in the straight, just holding out the unlucky Ocean Park by a head.
Trainer Stephen McKee said Knight’s Tour would be aimed at the New Zealand Derby (2400m) in March.
“He could run the Derby trip tomorrow, but he’ll stay at a mile for his next start,” McKee said.
“He’s still learning and we might take him to Trentham for the Wellington Stakes to help him learn what the game’s about.”
Ocean Park came from third last on the fence and had little luck in the straight before storming home in the last 200m.
Favourite Burgundy seemed a little disappointing in third but rider Matt Cameron was happy with the effort.
“It was his first run in five weeks and he was right there until his condition gave out in the last 200m.”
NZN AAP TURF
