King eyes Leger ransom

The St Leger must have seemed a long way off last year when Salsalino went through the sales ring at Doncaster having been prepared by the former top jump jockey Mark Dwyer.

King was on the lookout for a horse who could give his main supporter Nigel Bunter some fun on the Flat before going on to make a mark over hurdles. Premier League performers at Division Three prices are very rare commodities in racing, but for 25,000 guineas he secured a colt who returns to Town Moor as one of the livelier longshots in a race which remains one of the high points of the Flat season.

"It's funny to think that when he won his maiden at Salisbury last August he had the subsequent July Cup winner Oasis Dream back in fifth," added King.

"We've gone down very different paths since, but we thought we'd better keep our options open as regards the Leger once Salsalino was beaten a short head in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot in June.

"He did nothing to make us alter that view when he finished fourth in a messy race for the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, and the way he ran on from way back to finish third in the Ebor Handicap at York last time convinced us that it was worth going back to Doncaster with him."

King carries a remarkably relaxed demeanour for a man who spent well over a decade learning his trade as assistant to the top jumps handler David Nicholson.

The man they call "the Duke" has always had a shorter fuse than most, but his ability to coax a horse to its best and then keep it there for as long as possible was second to none.

King has inherited that ability and, having laid a solid base to his training operation at Wroughton, Wiltshire, he now feels the time is right to move to the next level.

He said: "Nigel has bought the yard and the gallops and has made a huge commitment to the operation, with 10 new boxes, upgraded accommodation for the staff and a new all-weather gallop which is over a mile long. We're moving into a new phase with a lot of young horses replacing some good old servants and it's a very exciting time for us.

"Fork Lightning and Lords Best are two I'd mention as the types to do well in novice chases, and Bourbon Manhattan was a very good bumper horse last season who should go on and make a name for himself in novice hurdles this winter."

Shorter term, Saturday sees Salsalino moving up from handicap company to take on a Group One field including formidable rivals like Aidan O'Brien's Brian Boru and Sir Michael Stoute's Hawk Flyer.

"It seems Aidan isn't running Powerscourt, which takes one big danger out of the way, but we have to be hopeful and I've been mulling over the idea of fitting Salsalino with a visor just to help him hold his place in the early stages."

King knows full well that a win or even a place for Salsalino on Saturday would provide a massive boost to his career.

A timely moment, then, to test where his loyalties lie by asking whether a St Leger win would mean more to him than a Champion Hurdle or a Gold Cup?

"You know very well that's an unfair question, but I'm not surprised that you asked it," he added.

"In truth we'd be happy to take any one of them, but Saturday would be a great place to start and stranger things have happened in the Leger."