A dazzling debut at Newmarket in 2013 saw Kingman storm clear to win by six-lengths and firmly establish himself as a serious prospect for the season ahead. Little did we know that a chipped bone would only see him race only once more as a 2-year-old but as with his easy debut win it was the same again as Kingman stepped up a level and was rewarded with his first black-type as he cruised to the lead two furlongs out in the Group 3 Solario Stakes at Sandown and win without breaking a sweat.
Kingman was back for the Greenham Stakes at Newbury after recovering from a successful operation on a chipped bone. A new season but the same story as Kingman demolished the field. Only a second in the 2000 Guineas stopped him having a perfect record as Kingman ended his career winning four Group Ones on the bounce including the Irish 2000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes and Prix Du Haras De Fresnay-Le-Buffard- Jacques Le Marois Group One at Deauville. An amazing year was topped off when Kingman was named Champion three-year-old colt and Horse of the Year at the Cartier Racing Awards for 2014.
The news of Kingman’s retirement was announced in September 2014 after he picked up a throat infection and plans to run him in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes were thwarted. It was a brilliant career, and he’s stood at the Banstead Manor Stud alongside the great Frankel since the 2015 breeding season. Kingman became the highest-ranked second season-sire in the world this year with a nomination fee of £150,000 for the new breeding season. I will be keeping a close eye on the third season crop after successful purchases at the yearling sales.
To say Kingman’s offspring have done well is a bit of an understatement with Persian King winning Group 1 at Longchamp and also Group 2 winners Headman and Calyx, also Nausha winning the Musidora Stakes and Sangarius winning the Hampton Court Stakes at Ascot. His second crop did well too with four Stake winners including Tom Dascombes Boomer who won the Group 3 Prestige Stakes at Goodwood.
John Gosden does love a Kingman offspring and with Calyx being a big success. I have no doubt he will have a few nice types this season to keep an eye out for. Two I have my eye on are owned by Mr. A.E. Oppenheimer who had a couple of first timeout winners with John Gosden over the past two seasons. First was the Dansili colt Sucellus who won on debut at Wolverhampton in 2018, and then we had Tiempo Vuela the Lope De Vega filly who also won on debut this time at Newcastle last October.
The first unraced homebred colt is ALTO VOLANTE:
Pedigree KINGMAN-DISCO VOLANTE (SADLER'S WELLS) (USA) who has an entry for the 2021 Investec Derby. Dam's most notable successes being a gelding previously trained by Mark Johnston called Namibian who won the Queen's Vase and the Gordon Stakes back in 2011 and had an official rating of 112. Another who never hit them heights was an 80 rated gelding owned by MR A.E. Oppenheimer called Westwood Hoe who ran for John Gosden three times and won his Maiden on his third start before changing trainer.
The second unraced homebred colt is MEGALLAN:
Pedigree KINGMAN-EASTERN BELLE (CHAMPS ELYSEES) who has an early entry for the 2021 Investec Derby. Dam Eastern Belle ran at a decent level for owner MR A. E Oppenheimer and an official rating of 104 for trainer John Gosden after winning the Listed Lord Weinstock Memorial Stakes at Newbury in 2014. This will be the first offspring for this Dam so interested to see how Megallan shapes up.
Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for my next 2-year-olds to follow for 2020.
Great post, Craig.
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