Came From The Dark well and truly out of the shadows

Upwardly-mobile sprinter can look forward to big-race engagements.

Came From The Dark registered the biggest success of his career as Ed Walker’s grey just got up to deny Arecibo in the Coral Charge at Sandown.

The five-year-old only won one of his five outings last season, but since being gelded he has improved no end.

Unlucky in the Palace House at Newmarket, having won at Newbury before then, Walker had hoped to run him in the King’s Stand Stakes at Ascot after that, but a setback prevented him from doing so.

Instead he lined up in this Group Three and Tom Marquand always looked in control.

While Arecibo hit the front with a furlong to run having taken over from Lazuli, Marquand did not even have to resort to the whip, riding out his mount with just hands and heels to reel in the King’s Stand runner-up and win by a neck at 5-1.

“It was frustrating to miss Ascot, he picked up a niggle after Newmarket but fair play to the team at home and the vets, they gave me the confidence to drive on to today,” said Walker.

“I was gutted to miss the King’s Stand as I think it would have been perfect for him, but it worked out perfectly today and we can go for some nice races later in the year.

“He’s been frustrating until this year, I always felt he was better than he was showing. I think I took a year too long to geld him, that’s been the making of him. It’s all come together this year.

“He loves Haydock, for whatever reason. The easy six suits, so we’ll work back from there (Sprint Cup), but I’m not sure where next. If we go to the Nunthorpe he might get too far out of his ground, so we’ve a bit of head scratching to do.”

The winner was cut to 5-1 from 12s for the King George Stakes at Goodwood by Paddy Power.

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