675,000gns Craven sale-topper off to perfect start

Kings Shield became the third breeze-up sale-topper of 2017 to make a winning debut when getting the better of New Approach colt Ostilio in the 7f novice stakes at Newcastle on Wednesday.

Trained by John Gosden and ridden by Robert Havlin, the Scat Daddy colt was the only debutant in the field, having been bought by David Redvers on behalf of Qatar Racing for 675,000gns at the Tattersalls Craven Sale in April.

Kings Shield is the second Craven sale-topper out of his dam, the winning Miesque's Son mare Gender Dance, after Great White Eagle brought 760,000gns at Park Paddocks in 2013.

Roussel, who realised £360,000 at Doncaster in April, won a Leicester novice stakes on debut in May, while Landshark - the €210,000 Goresbridge sale-topper - won a competitive Leopardstown maiden in August. The Guineas sale-topper Ragstone Road, meanwhile, won on his second start at Lingfield in September.

View race result

The late Scat Daddy's progeny have enjoyed a richly rewarding 2017 Flat campaign. Of his 33 runners in Europe so far this year, 18 won races and six at stakes level - including a quartet of Royal Ascot scorers in Caravaggio, Con Te Partiro, Lady Aurelia and Sioux Nation.

Scat Daddy also supplied a Breeders' Cup winner at Del Mar in the shape of Juvenile Turf hero Mendelssohn.

In what is a busy spell for the family, Kings Shield's seven-year-old half-sister Belen, by Quiet American, will be offered at Keeneland on Wednesday, his Gutaifan foal half-sister is set to come under the hammer at Goffs, and not long after that his nine-year-old half-sister Miss Mediator, by Consolidator, will be available to buy at Tattersalls.

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