Best Knight continues to excel with front-running tactics as he scored back-to-back wins in almost identical thumping fashion on Friday.
After leading all the way at his last run on June 25 in a 1400m race, the King’s Best four-year-old replayed the same tactics to devastating effect in the $95,000 Kranji Stakes B race over 1200m.
One of the best away, Best Knight was not hard pushed to grab the lead. Jockey John Powell, who also rode him at the first win, steadied the ship from the back, enjoying an uncontested lead for most of the way with Grecian Choice (Danny Beasley) and Flying West (Sean Cormack) next in the running.
But once Powell slipped some rein upon straigtening, the rest were left chasing shadows as Best Knight stretched out to score easing down in the smart time of 1min 10.45secs. Flying West was a gallant second 2 ½ lengths away with Pacino (Joao Moreira) plodding on for third another 2 ¼ lengths away.
“Every time he’s won, it’s rained. He’s got a bad back and he needs some cut in the ground,” said trainer Brian Dean.
“But the staff and the chiropractor has done a great job on him topping him up.
“You can be smart after the race, but I did tell Johnny there wouldn’t be a lot of speed in the race. If they leave him alone he should be too good for them.
“I was not at all surprised he had a soft lead in front, and with no weight on his back, he just kept going.
“Don’t forget he ran good time at his last race. He’s got such natural speed and is just so tough.”
Dean said he had not charted any grandiose plans for the Knight Racing Stable-owned galloper.
“I’ll have a look at the programme, but I don’t think I have many options left for this bloke. He looks like he may be looking for a bit further, so I may be looking in that direction.”
Best Knight ($24) has now recorded seven wins from 25 starts for stakes money in excess of $330,000.
The disappointment of the race was Grecian Choice, a last-start winner over 1200m, who after getting an ideal run, did not put in a blow to beat one home.
On the other hand, Laurie Laxon’s Waipapa (Vlad Duric), who succumbed to a bleeding attack when he fell at his previous race in April and was feared dead as he lay motionless on the track until he got back on his feet, made an encouraging comeback to finish fourth.