So You Think's Knights Order (IRE) Goes Coast to Coast in Sydney Cup

Mark Smith - Saturday April 9

An imported son of the great So You Think, Knights Order (IRL) went straight to the front under Rachel King and proceeded to grind her opponents into the ground in Saturday’s $2,000,000 Group 1 Schweppes Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick.

Purchased by Mckeever Bloodstock / Gai Waterhouse Racing for 250,000gns at the 2018 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale, the 6yo gelding was winning for the first time since the Group II Brisbane Cup at Eagle Farm last June.

Knights Order (image Steve Hart)

The 7yo gelding had won four of his nine starts in Great Britain for William Jarvis.

With King gradually upping the pace, Knights Order (IRL) had the field off the bit before turning for home.

He kept up a solid gallop to defeat Sheraz (FR) (Sea The Stars) by two lengths with Daqiansweet Junior (Sweet Orange) a further two and a half lengths back in third.

“I’s a fantastic feeling, we’ve got a great bunch of owners here involved with this horse, they really enjoyed that win.  It was very satisfying to be able to deliver for them,” Bott said.

“He loved the conditions, so I was really confident with him in regards to that.

Advertisement

“He’s had a great lead-up building towards this particular race. He’s had plenty of miles, he’s proven over the two miles before Brisbane Cup winner so I was confident on a lot of fronts there. He just needed things to go our way in the race. When Rachel (King) was able to dictate in the way that she did, it was a really calculated ride by her so she’s got to take a lot of credit for that. She was able to give him every chance and opportunity from there and he was too strong.”

What a day for So You Think

“Over the years she (King) has put so much hard work into the stables. I’m glad we were able to reward her with a Group 1 win.

“He was purchased out of Europe, they’ve obviously got the superior staying bloodlines coming down here. He took a good 12 months to acclimatise, but I think we saw the potential there with his win in the Brisbane Cup.

“It might have been too quick of a turnaround for him into the spring, he didn’t quite come up. But off a good break, he was able to come here with fresh legs this campaign, and we’ve been able to see what he’s able to do when he gets the conditions to suit.”

A half-brother to the Grade II Santa Anita Oak Tree Derby winner Dark Islander (Singspiel) , Knight’s Order (IRE) is one of nine winners from the Woodman mare Lamanka Lass.  

Knights Order (IRE) is the eighth Group 1 winner for Coolmore Stud’s o You Think, whose day was just about to get a whole lot better.

Advertisment

Race Result - Schweppes Sydney Cup Gr1 3200m

Randwick Track: Heavy(10) Time: 3:32.29
1
Knights Order
- 7g So You Think (NZ) x Lamanka Lass (USA) (Woodman (USA))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Rachel King 51.5
So You Think
2
2.0
Sheraz
- 5g Sea The Stars (IRE) x Shemiyla (FR) (Dalakhani (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Craig Williams 51
3
4.5
Daqiansweet Junior
- 4g Sweet Orange (USA) x Paulette (NZ) (Keeper (AUS))
Tnr: P Stokes Rdr: K Mc Evoy 51.5
4
11.4
Future Score
- 7g Cape Cross (IRE) x Theola (IRE) (Kalanisi (IRE))
Tnr: Matthew Cumani Rdr: Teodore Nugent 50
5
11.7
Le Baol
- 6g Orpen (USA) x La Teranga (FR) (Beat Hollow (GB))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Ms L Day 50
6
12.3
Kaapfever
- 7g Sufficient (NZ) x Kaapdiva (NZ) (Kaapstad (NZ))
Tnr: Joseph Pride Rdr: Tyler Schiller 51
7
13.1
Stockman
- 5g Tavistock (NZ) x Crimson (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: Joseph Pride Rdr: A B Collett 51
8
13.3
Sweet Thomas
- 10g Dylan Thomas (IRE) x Sworn Pro (GER) (Protektor (GER))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: J Innes Jnr 50
9
13.4
Crystal Pegasus
- 5g Australia (GB) x Crystal Etoile (GB) (Dansili (GB))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Jamie Kah 51
10
13.8
Luncies
- 5g Iffraaj (GB) x Under The Rainbow (GB) (Fantastic Light (USA))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: R Dolan 50
11
18.4
No Compromise
- 5g Pins (AUS) x Baggy Green (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J Ford 50.5
12
23.8
Alakahan
- 6g Motivator (GB) x Aliyama (IRE) (Red Ransom (USA))
Tnr: Richard & Will Freedman Rdr: Fred W Kersley 52
13
25.0
Surefire
- 4g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Modesta (IRE) (Sadler's Wells (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Ms K O'Hara 50
14
25.2
Chalk Stream
- 4g Sea The Stars (IRE) x Golden Stream (IRE) (Sadler's Wells (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Damien Thornton 50
15
27.4
Angel Of Truth
- 6g Animal Kingdom (USA) x Scarletini (AUS) (Bernardini (USA))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: W Pike 52
16
42.0
South Pacific
- 6g Galileo (IRE) x Tonnara (IRE) (Linamix (FR))
Tnr: Richard Litt Rdr: A Gibbons 52
17
48.7
Dadoozdart
- 6g Dawn Approach (IRE) x Hairpin (USA) (Bernardini (USA))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Brock Ryan 50
18
79.7
The Chosen One
- 6h Savabeel (AUS) x The Glitzy One (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: M Baker & A Forsman Rdr: J Bowman 56
19
99.9
Tigertiger
- 6g Zed (NZ) x Hoorang (NZ) (Zerpour (IRE))
Tnr: R J Blacker Rdr: Dean Holland 50
More Reading...
How Much for a Snitzel Colt from Winx?
The record price for a yearling by the late champion sire Snitzel stands at $2.8million, but that benchmark looks set to be smashed at Inglis Easter next year.
Wootton Bassett Winning Whirl
It was a red letter day for Wootton Bassett (GB) at The Curragh overnight with a treble of winners highlighted by top class filly Whirl, who captured the Group I Pretty Polly Stakes (1m2f), a race won by the mighty Via Sistina in 2023.
Unbeaten So You Think 3YO WA's New Excitement Machine
One month to the day since he first set foot on a racecourse, So You Think’s three year old son  Opportunistic remains undefeated from three starts, is a dual stakes winner with earnings of $200,250 to his name, and is WA's new rising star of the turf.
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 28
Here is the full list of 109 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Aussie 2YO SW for Tivaci
New Zealand-bred colt Matahga stamped himself as an exciting spring three-year-old prospect with a hard-fought victory in the A$120,000 Listed David Peacock Oaklands Plate (1400m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Sunday June 29
Here is the full list of 53 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Big Pedigrees Don’t Always Spell Black Type
The breeding of thoroughbreds is a very inexact science which is why we saw siblings to a pair of Group I winners fighting out the finish of a very pedestrian 1100m maiden at Ballarat on Sunday.
$3million Won Through Inglis Xtra Bonus
A staggering $3m has now been won as part of the Inglis Xtra Bonus Series following today’s victory by the Cody Morgan-trained 3YO Considered at Dubbo.
Another Aussie SW Sourced from Aga Khan Studs
When Australian investors buy tried horses out of Europe from Aga Khan Studs they know they are getting quality, but the good ones don’t come cheap with Elamaz (IRE) sourced from their draft at the Arqana Arc Sale last year for €480,000.
Better Than Ready’s Metalart Wins Group 3 W J Healy Stakes
Improving off a third in the Listed Lightning Handicap at Eagle Farm recently, 4yo Better Than Ready gelding Metalart stepped up to 1200m to record his first black type success, winning the Group 3 W J Healy Stakes.