5 Mar 2022Sword Of State gallantly overcame an awkward gate against older opposition at Ellerslie to further boost his stallion profile before he takes his place on our roster in the future.
The Jamie Richards-trained son of Snitzel dug deep to claim the G3 King’s Plate and advance his record to six wins from 10 appearances, including a dominant victory in last season’s G1 Sistema Stakes.
Sword Of State worked across from a wide gate to race close to the pace before rider Leith Innes peeled three wide into the straight.
They had a battle on their hands to reel in the well-performed Babylon Berlin, but our colt wasn’t to be denied.
“Babylon Berlin is a class mare, he was in for the fight and we’re very proud of him,” Richards said.
“He’s a proper sprinter and bound for the breeding barn at some stage. We don’t need to make any race decisions yet, but the Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes would be a lovely race for him.
“It was a good, tough effort and he’s got a great attitude. It’s a big asset.”
Innes was also quick to pay tribute to Sword of State’s fighting qualities, who gave 1.5kg to the runner-up.
“Babylon Berlin is a Group 1-performed mare. He’s a really neat horse to ride and gave me a great feel – he’s a champion colt who loves Ellerslie,” he said.
Sword Of State was a $600,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase and is the first foal of the Group-performed Encosta De Lago mare In The Vanguard. She is a daughter of the G2 Light Fingers Stakes winner Sharp.