Regal performance from The Dragon King at Newmarket
The Dragon King miraculously came from last to first to scoop the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes at Newmarket.
Clive Cox’s youngster was not even in the frame as 7-4 favourite Brighton Boy passed eventual third Ruby’s Profit and made his bid for home.
However, flying home at a rate of knots was William Buick aboard the Middleham Park Racing-owned 5-1 chance, to storm to a length success.
Tom Palin of Middleham Park Racing was left speechless with the result and although entered in the horses of training sale later this month, The Dragon King may have earned himself another appearance in the blue and orange of the owners.
Palin said: “That’s not the conventional way to win a race at Newmarket!
“I don’t really know what to make of the entire race, I was kind of wondering how I explain this and thinking it could be a long day if the one I thought had the best chance (out of all the owners runners) had done that.
“He’s a horse who always gives his all and he needed to give his all there, fair play to William for keeping going. For once I’m speechless, I’m lost for words.
“We haven’t won this one before but we’re working our way through them and there’s a couple more to come. I need to speak to Clive and he is in the sale, but he might have given himself a stay of execution there.
“There’s a Group Two Eddie’s Boy was second in behind Charyn (Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte at Chantilly) and we could supplement for that, that could be an option, but I will speak to Clive. This was the race we had in mind, but maybe not now.”