In a masterful staying performance, the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Knights Order lead all-the-way on a Heavy (10) Randwick track to dominate the 2022 Sydney Cup results on Day 2 of The Championships.

Knights Order was huge leading from barrier to box in the 2022 Sydney Cup results. Photo: Steve Hart.

With nothing making-up up ground from the back in the testing conditions, jockey Rachel King made the bold move to go forward and set the pace in the Group 1 $2 million Sydney Cup (3200m) aboard proven two-miler Knights Order.

Knowing she had a genuine stayer underneath her, King produced a confident front-running ride and the horse ran his rivals ragged leading from barrier to box in the time-honoured classic.

“Fantastic feeling, we’ve got a great bunch of owners here involved with this horse, they really enjoyed that win.  Very satisfying to be able to deliver for them,” co-trainer Bott told Sky Thoroughbred Central post-win. 

Already a winner of Queensland’s Brisbane Cup over the distance, the Irish-bred So You Think seven-year-old’s other two-mile assignment produced a distant 19^th behind Verry Elleegant in last year’s Melbourne Cup.

He atoned fourth-up in Sydney on the quick turnaround after a devastatingly close second behind upset winner Nerve Not Verve at the track in last Saturday’s Group 2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m).

Relishing the step-up in distance and getting conditions to suit, Knights Order was beautifully presented by the stable and was able to control the race the whole way.

“He loved the conditions, so I was really confident with him in regards to that,” Bott said.

“He’s had a great lead-up building towards this particular race. He’s had plenty of miles, he’s proven over the two miles before Brisbane Cup winner so I was confident on a lot of fronts there.

“Just needed things to go our way in the race and when Rachel (King) was able to dictate in the way that she did, it was a really calculated ride by her so she’s got to take a lot of credit for that. She was able to give him every chance and opportunity from there and he was too strong.

“He well and truly is (a great stayer). Obviously purchased out of Europe, they’ve obviously got the superior staying bloodlines coming down here. He was purchased out of there about two years ago so he’s taken a good 12 months to acclimatise.

“But I think we saw the potential there with his win in the Brisbane Cup. It might have been too quick of a turnaround for him into the spring, he didn’t quite come up. But off a good break he was able to come here with fresh legs this campaign and we’ve been able to see what he’s able to do when he gets the conditions to suit.”

King, who celebrated her second career Group 1 win with the Sydney Cup result, upped the tempo a long way from home with 600m still to travel in the Sydney Cup, Knights Order leading onto the straight with the other on-speed stayer Sheraz doing the chasing.

Knights Order went for home at the 300m and pulled clear, Chris Waller’s French import Sheraz sticking with him to finish second.

“He was the nicest horse ever to ride over 3200m and to get one for Gai (Waterhouse) it means a lot definitely. She’s been such a huge supporter of mine and being apprentice to her for so long, it’s just fantastic to get one for Gai and Adrian (Bott) and the team,” King said.

The only horse to make up any ground in an eye-catching but distant third was the Phillip Stokes’ Adelaide Cup winner Daqiansweet Junior who did it tough three-wide no cover the entire trip.

Knights Order is at $51 in all-in Melbourne Cup 2022 betting for the spring through Ladbrokes.com.au with full markets on the $8 million event available here.

2022 Sydney Cup Results & Finishing Order

Table Credit: Racing Australia.