Racing: Krispy Knight has bite in the mud
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Your support makes all the difference.KRISPY KNIGHT, who is entered for The Derby, was just one of a number of wide-margin winners during the afternoon when landing the Easter Stakes over a mile in desperately heavy ground at Kempton yesterday. The John Hills-trained colt stormed home 13 lengths clear of Gurkha, a 2,000 Guineas entry, with Chester House, the 11-10 favourite and another who is in the Guineas, last of four.
Krispy Knight will now go for the Premio Parioli (the Italian 2,000 Guineas). Hills said: "He's not in the English Guineas, but it's often soft in Rome at this time of year. We wanted a trial to see how he handled the ground. Last year I didn't know who was best between him and Docksider. Docksider kept improving but this horse stopped, though he's been working well lately."
Earlier Tadwiga (who is not entered in the 1,000 Guineas) ended the Newmarket Classic aspirations of her stablemate Another Fantasy, Dazilyn Lady and Forum (who are) with a 13-length victory in the Listed Masaka Stakes, also over a mile.
Tadwiga could now go for the Irish 1,000 Guineas. Richard Hannon, her trainer, said: "If someone had asked me which was best I would have said Another Fantasy, because she has been working the better. But this filly is full of guts. At just over 14 hands she's only a pony, but she's obviously a very good pony. I stopped the owner from coming because I thought she'd need it. But now we'll have to think about the Irish Guineas as long as the ground is right."
George Michael fans were out of luck in the Stanmore Stakes, in which Last Christmas, another Derby entry, could only finish six lengths second to Scorned. Ian Balding, who trains the winner, said: "He's in Group races in Germany because that's where he was bred."
Kieren Fallon steered Dim Ots to a runaway win in the Ruislip Handicap. Drawn towards the far rail, Fallon switched the filly to the favoured stands' rail but, in the event, he could probably have taken her across for a look at the steeplechase course and still come back and won. Dim Ots stormed home by 14 lengths, a remarkable margin in a 19-runner, six- furlong, handicap, even one conducted on heavy ground.
Tomorrow's Bank Holiday meetings at Huntingdon, Nottingham, Towcester, and Warwick are off, while Chepstow (9.15), Hereford (8.00) and Market Rasen (8.30) hold inspections this morning.
Looking ahead to Thursday, the presence of the Andre Fabre-trained Xaar, the 2,000 Guineas favourite, has failed to frighten off rivals in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket. Yesterday's 14 entries include Daggers Drawn, Haami, Gulland, Duck Row and Teapot Row.
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