Kings Shield makes striking winning debut

High-profile Breeze-Up purchase Kings Shield looked a potential star when winning at Newcastle on Wednesday.

Kings Shield was puchased by David Redvers for 675,000 after recording a bullet time at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up Sale and, sent into training with John Gosden, he got off to the perfect start in the 32Red.com Novice Stakes at the North-East racecourse.

A son of the excellent Scat Daddy, who sadly died in late-2015, Kings Shield was backed as if defeat was out of the question and he lived up to his star billing in no uncertain terms. Restrained in the early stages by Robert Havlin, the bay colt tanked through the race near the stands' rail before hitting the front inside the final furlong.

Kings Shield crossed the line with a length and a quarter to spare over chief market danger Ositilio, and he looked to have plenty more left in his locker. There was another five lengths back to the third-placed Illusional who, like Ostilio, had finished a promising second on his debut.

Kings Shield is a half-brother to several winners, including Gr. 3-winning two-year-old Great White Eagle and another smart juvenile winner in Quarrel. They are out of Miesque's Son mare Gender Dance, a winner between seven furlongs and an extended mile in the States.