King's Troop marches in at Warwick Farm

Only five days into the new season and Redoute’s Choice has unveiled a potential star in the shape of Snitzel’s three-quarter brother King’s Troop.

Watch King’s Troop’s Warwick Farm win here.

His 7-length trial win at Rosehill a month ago attracted plenty of attention and, after a debut second to Japonisme at Rosehill on 18 July, King’s Troop started the hottest of favourites in a competitive colts & geldings handicap field at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

He jumped well and took up the running with Quantrill, Art of Excellence and Aspen Star in close attendance. Rounding the turn, King’s Troop held a narrow lead and began to extend. At the 150-metre mark Jockey Brenton Avdulla switched his whip to his left hand, and one strike was all the colt needed to hit top gear and stride away for an easy 3.8 length win.

The colt’s winning time of 1:03.98 under topweight of 59kg was more than half a second faster than Kangarilla Joy posted for the equivalent fillies’ race on the same card.

The Racing & Sports review of the race noted, “Showing improvement off his debut run, King’s Troop returned a Timeform figure of 97p, and on what he has shown to date he looks at least Group 3 standard with plenty more improvement to come.”

King’s Troop is the second foal of Royal Snippets (by Royal Academy), a city-winning half-sister to the sensational Snitzel & Group 3 winner Viennese (both by Redoute’s Choice), Champion First Season Sire Hinchinbrook and Wiener, dam of Group-placed Redoutable Heart (also by Redoute’s Choice).

Arrowfield has retained King’s Troop’s 2YO full sister and Royal Snippets is due to foal again to the champion sire this Spring. 

The $125,000 ATC San Domenico S. G3 on 15 August is the likely immediate target for King’s Troop, but his trainer Gerald Ryan – who also prepared Snitzel for Group 1 success at three – notes that the very best of him may not be seen until the Autumn.