Knight maps out Goodwood goal for Checkandchallenge

Thoroughbred Stakes aim for Sandown second.

William Knight’s Checkandchallenge will return to Group level at Goodwood after his second-placed run in the Coral Challenge at Sandown on Saturday.

The bay is a Listed winner on the all-weather having taken the Burradon Stakes at Newcastle in April, after which he was 14th in the 2000 Guineas over the same mile trip.

On handicap debut at the weekend, the Fast Company colt started as the 11-4 favourite, the only three-year-old in a field full of experienced handicappers as old as eight.

He started slowly and ran towards the rear of the field for much of the race, but from the two-furlong pole he began to cover ground and eventually finished fastest of all when closing in on the three-quarter-length winner, Sinjaari.

The Group Three Thoroughbred Stakes, run over a mile at Goodwood in late July, is next on the agenda and Knight expects the horse to show further improvement on what will be his fifth career start.

“He came out of Sandown very well, he was a little bit slowly away, so William (Buick) just took his time with him,” he said.

“He came home very well, which was nice to see – I think it was a very good performance from him.

“He was still almost a little bit green, which sounds crazy, so I think he’ll come on a lot.

“He’s come out of the race well and he’ll head next to the Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood, the Group Three on the Friday.”

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