King's Gambit gets Gooree and Newgate venture off to perfect start

Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy

King's Gambit was bred by Gooree Park, but born and raised at Newgate after the Cojuangco family sought Field’s expertise with some of their mares, including King’s Gambit’s dual Group 3-winning, Group 1-placed dam Sultry Feeling (Encosta De Lago), who was also bred by Gooree.

“He was as good as I Am Invincible colt as I have ever had on the farm. He is a lovely rich colour, beautifully balanced with near perfect angles. He wasn’t an over-mature horse and I think he still has a bit of furnishing to do, looks like he will get better as he gets older. His proportions are almost textbook,” Field told TDN AusNZ.

Such was Field’s admiration for the colt, he, along with some of his usual partners, including SF Bloodstock and China Horse Club, and aided by Mike Borera, Eduardo Cojuangco’s son-in-law and Jeanette Tioseco, the farm’s business manager, bought into the colt to race in conjunction with Gooree.

“We were so pleased to be able to buy into this horse with Gooree, who we have set up a joint venture a couple of years back where we have some of their mares at Newgate,” Field explained.

“The Cojuangco family entrusted me to manage some of the mares on their behalf and it was a wonderful result, and he was in the first group of foals born since the venture.

“He was my highest-rated foal on the farm last year and full-credit to Mike Borera and Jeanette Tioseco who said that if rated him that highly they would like to try and work something out to race him in partnership with us at Newgate and we are very proud to have built this relationship with the Cojuangco family. It was a very special result for all our partners, but also for Mrs Cojuangco and the Cojuangco family in general.”

Field said that despite it looking on paper a very high-class edition of the Listed Debutant S., co-trainers Peter And Paul Snowden had given him confidence ahead of the colt’s debut on Saturday.

“Peter Snowden made mention before the race today (Saturday) that he had worked as well as he had seen a 2-year-old work,” said Field. “Peter and Paul’s confidence was vindicated when he landed a high-class edition of the Debutant S.”

Sultry Feeling herself has already produced one winner in the shape of Wholesome Delight (Exceed And Excel) and she is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Swift Alliance (Don Eduardo {NZ}) as well as stakes-placed New Day Rising (Fastnet Rock) and Tzu Hsi (Quest For Fame {GB}), the dam of Group 2 winner Rock Sturdy (Fastnet Rock).

It is a pedigree that packs a punch and Field said this, coupled with his obvious talent, he was a very exciting prospect moving forward.

“When they are bred the way he is and built the way he is and got the acceleration like he has, it is very exciting for the whole group,” he said. “This is early season 2-year-old racing, but he is certainly a horse we have great confidence in. It is always good when you get the ball rolling with a horse of his talent.”

It has been an incredibly strong start to the season for Newgate’s 2-year-olds, with Empire Of Japan (Snitzel) carrying the syndicate’s colours to victory in the G3 Breeders’ Plate at Randwick last week, while Platinum Jubilee (Zoustar), who was bred and raised on the property, produced a faultless display to win the G3 Gimcrack S. on the same afternoon.

Meanwhile, to add further credit to a near faultless season, Pure Paradise (Capitalist), who followed King’s Gambit home in second, was also raised on the Aberdeen-based farm.

“I am very proud of the team on the farm to have raised the Gimcrack winner in Platinum Jubilee on behalf of Sir Owen Glenn and also the quinella in the Debutant S. today (Saturday), who were both raised on the farm, so it is really impressive for the farm to be once again churning out stakes-winning 2-year-olds, which is what we work really hard to achieve,” Field said.

“Nothing really matters except the winning post in this industry and it’s just amazing when the results all come together.”