The life of a horse racing trainer is rarely straightforward, with the role demanding an ability to balance triumph and disappointment from one day to the next. One of the latest to experience the ups and downs of the racing rollercoaster is Newmarket handler Roger Varian.
Hot on the heels of landing the third Classic of his career, courtesy of the shock 28/1 victory of Elmalka in the 1000 Guineas, Varian received the news that he must head into the key summer months without his stable star, King Of Steel.
Champion Stakes Hero Lame in Stable
Following a routine piece of work on Tuesday morning, the giant son of Wootton Basset was found to be lame in his stable – a discovery which was swiftly followed by an X announcement from owners Amo Racing, reading, “King Of Steel has sustained an injury during his routine exercise on Tuesday morning in Newmarket. We are happy to report that he is fine and his usual bubbly self, but sadly, he will miss his planned seasonal debut at Sandown and Royal Ascot.”
King Of Steel has sustained an injury during his routine exercise on Tuesday morning in Newmarket.
We are happy to report that he is fine and his usual bubbly self, but sadly, he will miss his planned seasonal debut at Sandown and Royal Ascot.
As you can imagine, this is a… pic.twitter.com/26GnpULd6Y
— Amo Racing Ltd (@amoracingltd) May 15, 2024
Thankfully, the long-term prognosis appears positive at this early stage, but the news represents a significant blow to all connected with the horse. Rather than taking in next Thursday’s Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown en route to a tilt at the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and Coral-Eclipse (a race for which he had been trading as the 4-1 favourite), King Of Steel will take some time away from Varian’s Carlburg stables to focus on his recovery
Back For an Autumn Campaign?
King Of Steel will miss the major summer showstoppers, but connections and racing fans will hope the imposing colt may return to enjoy a similarly productive autumn as in 2023.
Having announced himself as a new star of the middle-distance division when getting to within a length of causing a 66/1 shock in the Epsom Derby, King Of Steel followed up with a resounding success over subsequent St. Leger hero Continuous in the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. Defeats followed in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes and the Irish Champion Stakes – that latter effort appearing to cost regular partner Kevin Stott the ride on the horse.
Gaining the services of Frankie Dettori for his next assignment, King Of Steel produced a career-best effort to see off a field containing defending champion Bay Bridge and French star Horizon Dore in the Qipco Champion Stakes – a notable success for horse and jockey, with the race representing Dettori’s final appearance at the track with which he will forever be associated.
Granted a smooth recovery, we may yet see King Of Steel return to defend that October Crown before a possible second trip to the Breeders’ Cup meeting.
