3 minute read
Richard Kingscote took the riding honours at Windsor on Saturday evening with a big-race double through and Cresta and Regal Reality.
Last of five behind St Leger favourite New London in the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, the Freddie and Martyn Meade-trained Cresta was fourth before that at Royal Ascot and was a smart performer in his juvenile season.
Sitting off the strong pace set by Maksud in the Listed Royal Windsor August Stakes, once Derby-winning rider Kingscote asked the question approaching two out his mount responded in kind.
A £490,000 purchase by Mohammed Bin Hamad Khalifa Al Attiyah at the Goffs London sale in June, the 9-4 market leader fairly rocketed clear, beating the gallant Maksud by six and a half lengths.
"We're very grateful that Mohammed bought him at the London sale and hopefully we're on the way to repaying him. He's done it really nicely.
"Hopefully he's learning to be a racehorse and we'll have some fun with him. His form as a two-year-old was brilliant, he beat Modern Games on his debut who went on to win the French Guineas," Freddie Meade told Sky Sports Racing.
"It's just been getting him right and hopefully today is a building block."
The Meades will be represented themselves in the Leger by Geoffrey Freer winner Zechariah
Meade added: "He's in brilliant form and we couldn't be happier, all roads lead to the Leger.
"When Tom (Marquand) jumped off him at Newbury he said he stays all day, so that's one thing we don't need to worry about."
Kingscote shone again when Regal Reality rolled back the years to land the Sytner Sunningdale & Maidenhead BMW Winter Hill Stakes.
A stalwart of the Cheveley Park Stud operation and three times a Group Three winner before being bought by Peter Done, the seven-year-old wore down 11-10 market leader Grocer Jack – who had blazed along with Majestic Dawn – close home to add another Group Three to his roll of honour.
Kingscote has a close affinity with the 9-1 winner and said: "He was my first Group-race winner for Sir Michael and the boss was happy with him coming into today."
But there was no luck for Joe Tuite with his final runner before handing in his training licence, with his filly Via Sistina finishing fourth.
