Chiberta King, a gelded son of King's Best, showed himself to be a highly progressive stayer with a battling win in the Listed Esher Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.
The five-year-old was hampered several times in the closing stages of the two-mile contest but continued to give his all up Sandown’s steep finish to get his head in front just in time.
Bred by Watership Down Stud from the Nashwan mare Glam Rock, Chiberta King is the third stakes winner for King’s Best this season, following Japanese Group Three winner Cosmo Meadow and the defending Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe champion Workforce, who played a starring role in the finish of the G1 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown, in which he was narrowly beaten by So You Think.
Also at Sandown, Cape Cross three-year-old Cape Dollar ran on strongly in the closing stages of the Listed Coral Distaff Stakes to take third place.
One of Cape Cross’ toughest performers over the years has been the admirable Halicarnassus, a winner of 10 of his 67 starts, including the G2 Superlative Stakes at two and G2 Bosphorous Cup.
Now seven, he proved he is still a force to be reckoned with when winning one of the season’s most competitive staying handicaps, the Old Newton Cup, under visiting Australian jockey Hugh Bowman.
