Apex King
Apex King headed to Ascot on Saturday for The Listed Wooldridge Group Pat Eddery Stakes, run for the first time in honour of the late jockey who so often picked horses up in his unique style and carried them home. He rode many winners for both Mr Dunlop and his Father and is was fantastic Ascot have remembered him in this way. Our colt had to step up on his win at Newmarket but he showed a fantastic attitude there and we felt he deserved his place in the field.
Andrea Atzeni soon had the son of Kodiac tracking the leaders as the field was towed along at an honest gallop by the unbeaten Monticello. He started to come under pressure over two furlongs out but as they entered the final furlong Apex King began to make ground up as he had done at Newmarket. Despite being on his own in the middle of the track the bay colt stuck his head down and battled to get the better of Monticello by a neck at the line.
This was a fantastic performance and given he is likely to improve markedly for a step up to a mile it was very pleasing that he was able to win a Listed contest over seven furlongs. He will move up in distance to a mile and his most likely assignment will be The Royal Lodge. He has now won with ease in the ground and on a sounder surface and looks to be extremely versatile.
Congratulations to Mr Mohammed Jaber his owner and to Charlie Gordon-Watson who purchased the colt back in April at the Tattersalls Breeze-Ups. This win was the 40th winner of the season and we hope we can now push on towards the half century. Well done to everyone in the yard, the team spirit has been fantastic.