Another Gr.1 winner bred at Tweenhills

The Tweenhills-bred King of Gosford has been a revelation since his moved to race in the US and he crowned his career so far with a win in the Gr.1 Shoemaker Mile Stakes at Santa Anita on Monday. 

King of Gosford is by Zoustar and out of Harbour Watch mare Miss Sugars, so he’s a real product of Tweenhills. He was conceived, born, raised and grazed on the farm before his sale as a yearling to his first trainer Andrew Oliver. 

King of Gosford won a nursery in Ireland in 2023 but has improved massively since sent to North America, where he’s trained by Philip d’Amato. 

He has now won 6 times in that country, including 3 Black Type races and the Gr.2 Mathis Mile at Santa Anita in December. After another good effort when runner-up in the Gr.3 American Stakes there, King of Gosford lined up as 3^rd favourite for the 9-runner Gr.1 Shoemaker Mile.

King of Gosford settled toward the rear of the field whilst Goliad went quickly up front. Jockey Flavien Prat began to move as they entered the final turn and got first run on favourite Formidable Man. King of Gosford stormed down the centre of the track and won by a head from Mi Hermano Ramon, with the Frankie Dettori-ridden Cabo Spirit in 3^rd. 

D’Amato told Santa Anita's Michelle Yu: "I think Flavien learned a little bit of something in defeat last time about making his move. He knew and I knew that going into that last race, it was a tune-up for this one, and it worked out well."

King of Gosford was bred by The Miss Sugars Partnership, who also bred winner-in-waiting General Admission (by Kameko).