Royal Ascot

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Turner Booked for Kid Gold Cup Ride
12/06/11

Leading professional lady jockey Hayley Turner has been booked to partner the Alan King-trained The Betchworth Kid in the highlight of this week's Royal Ascot fixture, the Ascot Gold Cup, writes Elliot Slater.

The Betchworth Kid
© Racehorse Photos

King's grand campaigner will step up to two-and-a-half miles on the level for the first time in his career and take on the likes of last year's winner Rite of Passage, and the intriguing contender Fame And Glory, one of the best middle-distance horses in Europe over the last couple of seasons. Equally at home on the Flat or over timber, the six-year-old was last seen in action when running a solid race to finish fourth to Askar Tau in the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes, where he stayed on well inside the final furlong having been hampered earlier on in the home straight. The Ascot betting suggests he will have to find a substantial improvement from that performance though.

On his previous outing the Tobougg gelding showed real fighting qualities when getting the better of a ding-dong battle with the useful Free Agent to land the Listed Further Flight Stakes at Nottingham in April. A winner of six of his 42 career starts under both codes, The Betchworth Kid has been given a break since his last outing and is reported to have returned refreshed and in great shape after spending a few weeks out in the paddocks at Barbury Castle.

King isn't hiding the fact that he is uncertain as to whether or not his charge will stay the extra half mile of the Gold Cup, but quite rightly says that there is no better way of finding out than having a go and enjoying the day out. Generally on offer at 40/1, The Betchworth Kid will certainly be one of the rank outsiders in the field in a race where the market is still dominated by Fame And Glory (a best priced 10/3 f), and defending champion Rite of Passage (7/2 in a place).