Sport : Horse Racing

Racecard

  • 16:00 Betfred The Bonus King Stakes 1m 67y

  • Weighed In - (Class 1), £33,000 added, 3yo+, 5 runners
  • Winner £18,714 2nd £7,095 3rd £3,551 4th £1,769
  • Going: Good, Good to Firm in places Surface: Turf

Result

  • Weighed In

  • Winning time: 1m 41.25s
  • Off time: 16:01:19
Pos Horse Odds
1st Thistle Bird 6/1
2nd Coupe de Ville (IRE) 6/5
No Form Silk Horse A Wgt Jockey Trainer OR SP
1 (2) 218-301 Purple, Light Blue chevron, Light Blue cap Highland Knight (IRE) 29 Distance Winner 5 9-4 t David Probert A M Balding 104 7/4
2 (3) 95075-6 Pink, White hooped sleeves, White cap Loving Spirit 54 4 9-4 R Havlin J A R Toller 90 12/1
4 (5) 8-10500 White, black hollow box, black and white halved sleeves The Rectifier (USA) 8 Course and Distance Winner 5 9-4 t J Fortune J R Boyle 100 12/1
5 (1) 414135- Dark Blue, Yellow chevron hoop, Yellow cap Thistle Bird 273 Distance Winner Course and Distance Winner 4 8-13 h J Doyle R Charlton 95 6/1
6 (4) 51-5573 White, Maroon and White quartered cap Coupe de Ville (IRE) 21 Distance Winner 3 8-8 P Dobbs R Hannon 112 6/5
Non runners
3 (6)75974-3Mac Love119-4R CharltonNon Runner108

Verdict

The Rectifier won this as a three-year-old in 2010 but is the only one of the classic generation to triumph so far which doesn't bode well for the chances of COUPE DE VILLE. Richard Hannon's colt has to be the selection, however, on his fifth in the 2000 Guineas as he was far from disgraced in the French version subsequently and third in a Group 3 at Chantilly earlier this month. Highland Knight won a valuable handicap at Epsom at the start of the month but has something to find at the weights while it's a long time since the once-useful Mac Love got his head in front, though he wasn't beaten far in the Diomed Stakes last time. Thistle Bird may need this but is preferred to Loving Spirit of the others.

Formwatch

Highland Knight (IRE) 13-2 (9-4) Made all, ridden along and edged left from 2f out, stayed on gamely, won at Epsom Downs 1m hcp 0-105 (2) gd beating Mawaakef (8-10) by nk, 17 ran.

Loving Spirit 14-1 (9-7) Towards rear, headway when not clear run on inside entering final 2f, kept on unde pressure inside final furlong, not reached leaders, 6th of 14, 2l behind Cruiser (9-0) at Kempton 1m hcp (0-90) (3) pol in May.

Mac Love 25-1 (9-4) Steadied start, held up in rear, switched right and driven over 1f out, stayed inside final furlong, took 3rd last strides, 3rd of 6, 1 1/2l behind Side Glance (9-4) at Epsom Downs 1m Grp 3 (1) gd.

The Rectifier (USA) 50-1 (9-7) Edgy stalls, raced far side, led until approaching final 2f , weakened quickly, virtually pulled up final furlong, tailed off, 22nd of 23, 40l behind Eton Forever (9-8) at Royal Ascot 7f hcp 105 (2) sft.

Thistle Bird 7-2 (8-11) Taken to post early, led, ridden and headed over 1f out, kept on one pace, 5th of 7, 6l behind Principal Role (9-5) at Newmarket 1m 2f fll lst stks (1) gf in Oct.

Coupe de Ville (IRE) (8-10) 3rd of 8, 2 1/2l behind Xanadou (8-10) at Chantilly(FR) 1m 3yo Grp 3 sft.

Sky Bet