Super talented I Am Invincible colt King’s Gambit delivered on potential at Rosehill on Saturday zooming up the fence to win the Group II ATC Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) from a wall of pursuers.
A brilliant winner of the Listed MRC Debutant Stakes last spring, King’s Gambit had been placed in every run since then albeit without winning and closed out his juvenile season with a third in the Golden Slipper.
The Peter and Paul Snowden trained colt did plenty wrong when resuming with a third in a Listed race at Flemington last month, but with a recent barrier trial to restore his confidence King’s Gambit produced his A game for Tommy Berry.
Snagged back in the early stages to settle with cover, King’s Gambit obliged and when the field drifted away from the fence after turning for home he was presented with a saloon passage to victory.
King’s Gambit scored by a length and a half in 1.09.16 seconds beating Capitalist colt Mexico and race favourite Ozzmosis, who lost his unbeaten record with a gallant third.
Peter Snowden was a much relieved man to get the valuable colt back into winning form.
“Finally, but I still feel we’ve only seen 50% of what he can do,” said Snowden.
“He still did a few things wrong, but he’s been good all day up until the last 10 minutes when we put the saddle on him and he got a little bit wound up, but he’s getting better and better and that’s the main thing.
“The Coolmore is the race Henry (Field) and the team really want to win. I was a bit sceptical at first when we down there and it didn’t work, but we might get another run into him and the more racing he has the better he will be and the more relaxed.
“He’s certainly talented and once we get it all worked out you’ll see a really nice horse.”
King’s Gambit was foaled and raised at Newgate Farm as the result of a partnership involving Gooree Stud, Newgate, China Horse Club and associates.
With two wins and four placings from six starts he has won over $750,000 in prizemoney and is the best of three winners from Group III winning Encosta de Lago mare Sultry Feeling, a half-sister to Group III winner Swift Alliance from a US Black Type family. Sultry Feeling has a two year-old filly by Snitzel that was sold by Newgate at Inglis Easter this year for $825,000 to Chris Waller Racing.
Sultry Feeling has a yearling filly by Extreme Choice and is due to foal again to King’s Gambit’s sire I Am Invincible.
