Knightsbridge emulates big brother with G3 Fred W Hooper demolition

Knightsbridge followed in the hoofprints of his illustrious half-brother Speaker’s Corner with a scintillating win in the G3 Fred W Hooper Stakes at Gulfstream Park, USA, on Saturday, 24 January.

Darley stallion Speaker’s Corner posted his first Graded Stakes success in the mile contest in 2022 before going on to dominate the same season’s G1 Carter Handicap, while his sibling lined up having already captured the G3 Mr Prospector Stakes at the Florida track in December.

Knightsbridge, from the same Bill Mott barn as Speaker’s Corner, and Life And Times took charge from the outset, with little to separate the front two as they established a four-length lead over the field.

Junior Alvarado inched ahead on Knightsbridge turning in and kicked into a clear advantage at the top of the straight. The Nyquist five-year-old never looked in danger and was eased close home to score by four and three-quarter lengths – the same margin as his Mr Prospector Stakes victory. 

Bill Mott said: “We have been waiting a long time for Knightsbridge to show what he can do. Finally, we got him going well enough and a little rhythm going with his races – it showed up today. He has always been talented and we have just had a few hiccups. This is his third race within three months and he threw in a big one today.

“He was hooking it up with a pretty good horse [Life And Times] and it was a matter of who was going to give in. I’m glad that we showed enough to get the job done.”