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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Could Be King a Sovereign ruler

Sat 12th Sep 2020, 18:24

Number One Could Be King arrives at the winning postNumber One Could Be King arrives at the winning post
© Photo Healy Racing

Top-weight Could Be King swooped to conquer the seven furlong Sovereign Path Premier Handicap in Leopardstown.

The 14/1 chance, with 10 stone on his back, thundered home down the centre of the track to get up in the final strides.

He obliged by three parts of a length from Lord Rapscallion (25/1) who had hit the front himself in the closing stages. Real Appeal (50/1) and Big Baby Bull (25/1) rounded out the placings in third and fourth respectively.

Trainer Ken Condon said: “It's a very important weekend, so it's good to get on the board.

“It was a good performance off 101. We got up to 104 after his first run for us in a Listed race, but that reads well now as Ancient Spirit won that.

“The last day Chris (Hayes) was adamant that the ground found us out in Naas. I had him down as myself as a horse that wanted soft ground, incorrectly as it turns out. Maybe it was a bit tacky in Naas.

“That was a very good performance and Billy gave him a good ride from a difficult draw.

“He angled him out in the straight, so he had a clear run of it. The horse got a bit of confidence and went to the line well.

“We think he can win a Listed or Group 3, but it'll be next year before we find that out. If things go his way he could be capable of mixing it in that kind of company next year.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

1st
14/1
Tote €19.60 €3.60
2nd
0.75L
25/1
€6.00
3rd
0.5L
50/1
€8.70
4th
shd
25/1
€7.10
bf
1L
4/1JFav
bf
1L
4/1JFav
About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.