The Enable factor: Kings Shield shines in debut win for Gosden at Newcastle

It’s a good sign when the winning time of a race stands out above the rest, especially when that race is for 2yos. This was the case with the 7f novice event at Newcastle last Wednesday, where the time was significantly quicker than the other two races over the same trip on the card.

The winner KINGS SHIELD cost 675,000gns at the breeze-ups in the spring and despite showing greenness on this debut, still proved much too good for OSTILIO (who had gone close on his debut) with the rest well beaten. He looks an exciting prospect and John Gosden isn’t averse to introducing a nice type at this track at around this stage of the season. Remember a filly called Enable this time last year?

Later on the same card TREVITHICK defied odds of 22-1 when taking the 1m novice auction event and again the time looked good, more than a second faster than the preceding maiden for older horses. Bryan Smart’s colt improved plenty from his Nottingham debut and the way he forged clear here suggests that he can make up into a nice handicapper.