Shining Knight, Smoko lame
Shining Knight yesterday shrugged off his bridesmaid tag as boom sprinter Smoko pulled up injured in the Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m) at Ascot.
Smoko looked under pressure at the 400m when leading Windswept, on his outside, and the $2 favourite faded quickly on straightening to finish sixth - his first unplaced effort in nine starts.
A veterinary examination after the race found Smoko to be lame in the off-foreleg, casting doubt on a rematch with Group 1 performer Barakey in the $750,000 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) on November 22.
Shining Knight ran a slashing fifth to Buffering in last year's weight-for-age Winterbottom, but the six-year-old did not live up to expectations in ensuing runs, finishing second in the Summer Scorcher and Miss Andretti Stakes.
Punters anticipated a strong first-up run by Shining Knight, supporting the gelding from $6.90 into $5.50 on the tote.
Trainer Grant Williams put blinkers on Shining Knight for the Colonel Reeves, after the son of Blackfriars finished sixth in a trial at Lark Hill without the gear on October 13.
Shining Knight raced in bandages to claim his first feature win, but part-owner and breeder Bob Peters said they were used only as a precaution.
"I think the blinkers helped," Peters said. "I should have kept them for his next run.
"He has a great first-up record.
"He was the shining star in last year's Winterbottom, but then he won a restricted race before running three seconds and a third."
Testamezzo ($7) highlighted Winterbottom claims by storming home from ninth on the turn to finish second, edging Hussy By Choice ($21) by a long head.
Peters and Williams won the Group 3 Colonel Reeves with Avante in 2011.
Shining Knight's victory continued the fantastic winning streak for the Peters family, with Elite Belle a last-start victor of the Prince Of Wales Stakes, Disposition taking out the Belgravia Stakes and Ideal Image winning last Saturday's Burgess Queen Stakes.
The streak looks set to continue on Saturday with Elite Belle and Disposition running in the Lee-Steere Stakes (1400m) and Fairetha Stakes (1400m) respectively.
Shining Knight's dam Cool Business celebrated Melbourne Cup day with a double, as Dreamalong (Southern Image) broke a 425-day drought with a sweeping win in the Golden River Handicap (1600m).
"I think the blinkers helped. I should have kept them for his next run.""Shining Knight's part-owner *Bob Peters *
