Daiquiri Bay continued the momentum generated by his Royal Ascot win with another lucrative performance in the Sky Bet Ebor at York. The four‑year‑old, who has long been a shrewd handicap contender for trainer Alan King, has taken a noticeable step forward since being gelded over the off‑season. The gelding’s resurgence was evident in a comeback victory at Newmarket, followed by a narrow defeat in the Copper Horse Stakes during the Royal meeting in June.
For the £500,000 highlight of the Ebor Festival, King chose to keep his horse fresh, a decision that paid off handsomely. Rossa Ryan settled the mount in the midfield for the majority of the one‑mile‑six‑furlong contest before making his decisive move just after the home turn.
Daiquiri Bay responded with a smooth, confident run, using the near side rail to his advantage and digging deep in the final stages to edge past the Wathnan Racing‑owned duo of Hopewell Rock and Opportunity in a nail‑biting three‑way finish. After the race, King could barely contain his excitement. “It was a fantastic ride from Rossa and I’m just blown away,” he said. He added that while the stable still has a number of promising hurdlers, Daiquiri Bay could easily become a top‑class flat performer, though King was not ready to make that switch just yet.
“This has been the plan since Ascot. After that, Rossa suggested we aim for the Ebor because he had a tough race. He broke the track record at Ascot, so we gave him a little break and built him back up,” King explained. King also praised the horse’s adaptability to softer ground, noting that the rain that fell before the race seemed to suit Daiquiri Bay.
“His preparation has been excellent. The rain came and I almost think he’s a better horse on slow ground,” he remarked. The trainer reflected on the historic nature of the event, recalling that the last time his stable had a favourite in the Ebor was back in 2003 with Salsalino, who finished third. “It’s a very special race,” King said.
“We came in hoping he’d run well and he was always in the right place, but I thought the Wathnan horses were going to give us trouble.” He continued, “He deserved what he did and he was still improving, so we were hopeful. The horses we’ve brought here before have been more exposed. We actually needed him to step up after Ascot so he was guaranteed a run.” Winning a race of this magnitude is always an emotional experience for King, who admitted that big‑race victories have become rarer for his operation. “When you win these big races it is always emotional and we don’t win as many as we used to.
I’ve always tried to win an Ebor but you need one on the way up and this one was,” he said. When asked whether the Melbourne Cup might now be on the agenda, King laughed, “I don’t travel, you do well to get me to go to York!” Wathnan Racing’s adviser Richard Brown expressed pride in the second and third places, noting that Hopewell Rock could be a contender for Australia’s most famous race in November.
“It’s one of those moments where you’re delighted they ran so well but you still want to win – all credit to Alan King because his horse was so brave,” Brown said. He added, “I thought we were definitely getting there with Hopewell Rock, and they’ve run brilliantly.” Brown also commented on the potential of Opportunity, describing him as a difficult but talented horse. “Opportunity has not been an easy horse; he’s actually been quite difficult, so William (Haggas) and his team have done a brilliant job with him,” Brown noted. “He might be a Cup horse next year, we’ll see.
He’ll get better with age.” Overall, Daiquiri Bay’s Ebor victory underscores the effectiveness of King’s patient training approach and the horse’s growing maturity after his gelding. The win not only adds a valuable £500,000 purse to the stable’s earnings but also positions Daiquiri Bay as a serious contender for future Group races, perhaps even opening doors to international campaigns if the connections decide to test his mettle abroad. The performance also highlights the competitive nature of the Ebor Festival, where seasoned veterans and rising stars clash over a demanding distance, delivering thrilling finishes that keep racing fans on the edge of their seats.