Newmarket trainer George Scott made the trip across the Irish sea a worthwhile one by taking the Kellihers Toyota Kingdom Gold Cup, the most valuable race on Friday’s Flat programme in Killarney, with the classy Prydwen. The winner, the second leg of a double for jockey Wayne Hassett, was giving weight to all of his rivals but the 107-rated six-year-old made light of the task. Winner of the valuable All-Weather Championships Marathon Handicap earlier in the year, he is all about stamina, and it showed as he took the lead over a furlong out and pulled away in great style to beat Vero Verto and Lot Of Joy.
The winning trainer, who enjoyed Royal Ascot success with Isle Of Jura, said: “It’s my first runner in Ireland but one of his part-owners, Keith Breen, is an Irishman and has a house in Cork, so has been pestering me to have a runner. “The world is a small place now and it is very important to travel horses and find the most appropriate races. To come to a beautiful track like this is a privilege, although it was a mission to get here.
“It took 18 hours for the horse to get here but, for a nervous horse, he was great. We want to travel with him during the winter, so it was a good test. “The lads came over with the horse a couple of days ago and did a great job.
He trained on the track both days and enjoyed it.” The first leg of Hassett’s 96.5-1 double came in the first division of the GAIN The Advantage Series Handicap aboard Sprint Collection, trained by Harr.