King Of Steel could test Classic aspirations at Sandown

Trial date an option for imposing Amo Racing colt.

If his size and scope are matched by achievements on the track this season, the exciting King Of Steel – who could start off at Sandown next week – promises to be a horse to follow.

Owned by Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing operation, the strapping son of Wootton Bassett was not seen until October during his two-year-old season but proved well worth the wait, bolting up on debut at Nottingham in the hands of Adam Kirby.

Sights were soon raised and he was pitched into the Vertem Futurity at Doncaster for his second start and although failing to land a blow in that Group One assignment, he remains a colt of significant potential ahead of his three-year-old campaign.

Switched to Roger Varian over the winter, he is in line for a step up to 10 furlongs in the Esher track’s bet365 Classic Trial before potentially following a similar path to the Carlburg handler’s St Leger hero Eldar Eldarov as the season progresses.

“He’s a very nice horse and he just doesn’t realise how big he is,” said Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager for Amo.

“He is absolutely enormous, but he is such a gentle giant and so straightforward and easy to deal with. Roger is thrilled with him.

King Of Steel after winning the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes at Nottingham
King Of Steel after winning the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes at Nottingham (PA)

“He really is a super balanced horse for his size and it is only when you stand into him you realise how big he is.

“He has some fancy entries and we don’t know exactly where we are going to go with him yet, but as things stand we could go to Sandown a week on Friday for the Classic Trial. I think a stiff 10 furlongs there on softish ground would be a nice starting point.

“You would hope he might go to Royal Ascot for something like the Queen’s Vase and then build through the season to be a Leger horse, but it is still early days.”

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