925,000gns Tattersalls HIT graduate English King on the comeback trail down under

The Mike Moroney-trained English King is ready to return to work on the back of a tendon injury which has seen him miss almost 14 months of racing. 

Moroney and partners purchased the Epsom Derby fifth and Lingfield Derby Trial winner for £925,000 from the 2020 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale. 

"He's been in rehab for quite a while, now he's ready to return to work," Moroney told Racing.com. "We're not putting up too many expectations. Just hoping he stays sound and can get back to some of that old form." 

The six-year-old has been gelded since his near 20-length defeat in the 2022 Andrew Ramsden Stakes, but had shown a glimpse of some better form at his start prior when finishing second to the late Steel Prince at Flemington.

"He was just coming right when it happened," said Moroney. "He's been gelded and he's a nice horse, so it would be great to see if he can come through and find some form."

English King is the 12th foal out of the Zafonic mare Platonic, making him a half-brother to Prudenzia, the dam of top-level winners Magic Wand and Chicquita as well as the smart Philomene and Enemy. 

English King first went through the ring as a yearling at the Arqana October Sale, when consigned by his breeders Ecurie des Monceaux and bought by Jeremy Brummitt for €210,000.

He entered training with Ed Walker, for owner Bjorn Nielsen, getting off the mark on his second start as a two-year-old at Newcastle. 

After winning the Derby trial at Lingfield under Tom Marquand on his reappearance at three, the rider was replaced by Frankie Dettori at Epsom - a decision which drew a fair amount of comment - and started second favourite behind Kameko. However, he was to finish a never-nearer fifth behind all-the-way winner Serpentine, with the Marquand-ridden outsider Khalifa Sat in second.

English King then finished behind Mogul a couple of times before his sale at Tattersalls and switch down under. 

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