Knight looks to charge to victory in Ascot handicap
EDINBURGH KNIGHT attempts to make it fourth-time lucky when he lines up in the £100,000 Betfair Summer Double International Stakes (3.55) at Ascot this afternoon.
Trained by Paul d'Arcy, Edinburgh Knight finished fourth in the William Hill Lincoln, weakened in the final stages, before running down the field when well fancied for the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot last month.
However, back down to 7f on his third start of the season, the trip he won over at Ascot on Qipco British Champions Day, he finished a strong second in the Group 3 Criterion Stakes at Newmarket - a performance that saw him rise 5lb in the weights.
He will be racing off his old mark of 104 and not his new one of 109 and d'Arcy believes this gives his runner a strong chance on start number four today.
"I don't think he got the trip in the Hunt Cup in hindsight but back over this trip he ran a great race in the Group 3 Criterion, where Richard Hughes stole the race so it is like going into this a winner without a penalty," d'Arcy said. "He's also gone up the handicap another 5lb so is well-in here and must have a good chance."
The International handicap is one of a number of highlights on Saturday with the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Summer Mile at Ascot, the Listed Newsells Park Stud Stakes at Newmarket and the Group 3 Minstrel Stakes at the Curragh.
There is also racing from Cartmel, Lingfield, Market Rasen, Haydock and Ripon on a busy Saturday.
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