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It is always advisable to keep a close eye on the pedigrees of the two-year-olds racing at this time of year and occasionally, a real jewel can be found.
Harry and Roger Charlton's King's Gambit falls into this category – a 33/1 winner of the 1m Class 4 Benny Hutchins Memorial EBF Maiden Stakes at Newbury on Friday…with a pedigree to die for.
The son of Saxon Warrior was probably over-priced for his second racecourse start. He had been the victim of inexperience on debut, rearing as he came out of the stalls and never being able to get on terms.
In comparison on his second outing, King's Gambit jumped sharply and was always prominent, cruising into the lead with a furlong to run.
The colt kept on well for jockey Trevor Whelan and recorded a three-quarter length success over the supported City Burglar in second with hot favourite Boiling Point a further two-and-a-quarter lengths back in third.
Bought for 125,000 guineas at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sales by Roger Charlton, King's Gambit was bred by Roundhill Stud.
Although his dam Pure Symmetry (Storm Cat) is yet to produce a Black Type performer, the colt's page features names which will get any bloodstock enthusiast very excited.
Pure Symmetry is an un-raced daughter of Serena's Song, an eleven-time Grade 1 winner in the US during the mid-1990s who was inducted into the US Hall of Fame in 2002.
Serena's Song proved to be a rare example of a top-class race-mare who was equally capable in her new career at stud.
She produced ten individual winners from thirteen runners including Group 1 Coronation Stakes heroine Sophisticat (Storm Cat) and Grand Reward (Storm Cat), who placed at Group level in the UK as a juvenile before winning a Grade 2 in the US.
The 1998 foal Serena's Tune could only win at Listed level on the track yet excelled as a broodmare, responsible for Group 3 Tetrarch Stakes winner Vocalised and Listed victor Serena's Cat.
Serena's Cat continues to uphold the family reputation at stud, producing multiple Grade 1 winner Honor Code who was crowned 2015 Champion Older Horse in the US.
Although King's Gambit may not have attracted the attention that his page deserves after the Newbury success, the colt already stands out from his dam's other offspring.
Although half-siblings Miner's Cat, High Stakes Player, Divine Energy and American Song all secured at least one victory on the track, King's Gambit is the first of Pure Symmetry's foals to win as a juvenile.
This achievement is made even more notable when considering the record of Saxon Warrior's two-year-olds – King's Gambit is one of only five juvenile winners for the Coolmore stallion in 2023.
