Dragon Leader impresses in Redcar Two Year Old Trophy

Dragon Leader was an impressive winner of the Listed £150,000 William Hill Two Year Old Trophy. A poignant success for owners Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds, whose founder Nick Robinson died last month.

The Goffs UK Premier Yearling Stakes winner, started 4-7 favourite and won by a ready three lengths under Richard Kingscote. However, the syndicate’s racing manager Sam Hoskins took nothing for granted and said: “The pressure is on when you’re 4-7, but he’s won about £300,000 in prize-money this season. It’s incredible.”

The Clive Cox-trained Dragon Leader, who was bought for £45,000 as a yearling, also finished second in the valuable sales race at Doncaster and Hoskins said: “We’re very lucky to have him. “Because he’s by a cheaper sire in El Kabeir he gets quite well into these races. We’ve been lucky over the years with a few horses by less fashionable sires. Sir Busker is by Sir Prancealot and Tullius by Le Vie Dei Colori. We usually do better buying a nice individual by a cheaper sire.”