Daiquiri Bay continued the momentum generated by his Royal Ascot win by securing another valuable victory at the Sky Bet Ebor Stakes at York. The four‑year‑old, long regarded as a clever handicap performer by trainer Alan King, has taken his form to new heights since being gelded during the off‑season. After a comeback win at Newmarket, he followed that up with a hard‑fought effort in the Copper Horse Stakes at the Royal meeting in June, hinting that something special was on the horizon.
When the £500,000 feature of the Ebor Festival arrived, King chose to keep his horse fresh, and the decision was rewarded in spectacular fashion. Rossa Ryan, aboard Daiquiri Bay, settled the colt in the midfield for much of the one‑mile‑six‑furlong contest, conserving energy before making his decisive move just after the home turn.
With a smooth, stylish surge into the leading group and the inside rail on his near side to guide him, Daiquiri Bay dug deep in the final furlongs, edging out the Wathnan Racing 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 great ride from Rossa and I'm just blown away," he said. He added that while he still has a number of promising hurdlers in his stable, he wasn’t planning to switch Daiquiri Bay to jumps at this stage.
"We still have plenty of hurdlers and he'd make a nice one, but I don't think I'll suggest that today!" he laughed. King explained that the Ebor had been part of the plan ever since Ascot. "After that, Rossa said to put him away for the Ebor as he had a tough race. He broke the track record at Ascot, so we were able to give him a little break and build him up," King recounted.
The trainer’s strategy of giving the horse a brief spell after his record‑breaking performance paid dividends, allowing the colt to return refreshed and ready for the demanding York test. The race day itself was filled with additional storylines. The weekend’s betting tips highlighted a 14/1 ante‑post selection for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and an 11/4 pick for the St Leger, while the racing world mourned the retirement of Galopin Des Champs, with owner Audrey Turley praising the Cheltenham Gold Cup hero as "one of a kind." Meanwhile, Sky Sports Racing’s schedule featured live coverage from Chepstow, Windsor, Saratoga, Ffos Las, Fontwell and Sedgefield, and highlighted Hollie Doyle’s August Stakes success for trainers Marquand and Haggas.
King also praised the conditions at York, noting that the rain that fell after the start seemed to suit his horse. "His preparation has gone great, the rain came and I almost think he's a better horse on slow ground," King observed. He reflected on the historic nature of the Ebor, recalling that the last time his stable had a favourite in the race was back in 2003 with Salsalino, who only managed third place. "It's a very special day.
We had the favourite back in 2003 with Salsalino, but he only finished third. It's a very special race," King said.
He admitted that before the finish, he was wary of the Wathnan entries, believing they might out‑pace him. "We came hopeful he'd run well and he was always in the right place, but I thought the Wathnan horses were coming to do me," he confessed. In the end, Daiquiri Bay proved his mettle, staying on the rise while his rivals faltered. "He was entitled to do what he did and he was still on the up, so we hoped.
Horses we've brought here before have been more exposed. We actually needed him to go up after Ascot so he was guaranteed a run," King explained. The emotional weight of winning a prestigious race like the Ebor was not lost on the trainer.
"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, acknowledging the rarity of such triumphs in recent years. When asked whether the victory might prompt a look at the Melbourne Cup, King laughed, "I don't travel, you do well to get me to go to York!" His humor underscored his focus on UK racing, even as the prospect of an international campaign lingered. Wathnan Racing’s adviser Richard Brown expressed pride in his stable’s 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 where you are delighted that they have run so well but you want to win – all credit to Alan King because his horse was so brave," Brown said. He added that Hopewell Rock showed promise for the Melbourne Cup, though qualification remained to be confirmed.
"The Melbourne Cup reps are here and I still need to find out if he qualifies for it, but that was the plan," Brown remarked. Brown also praised the handling of Opportunity, describing the horse as challenging but well‑managed by William Haggas and his team.
"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. He might be a Cup horse next year, we'll see. He'll get better with age," Brown concluded. In summary, Daiquiri Bay’s Ebor win was a testament to careful planning, patient training, and a perfectly timed spell after a record‑breaking Ascot performance.
The victory not only added a valuable prize to Alan King’s stable but also reinforced the colt’s reputation as a top‑class middle‑distance performer, with potential future targets ranging from further Group races in Britain to perhaps an ambitious foray into the Australian racing scene.