Knight's Choice ($15) has taken out the Group 3 Winx Guineas at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday, giving his jockey Jaden Lloyd his first Group 3 winner of his career.
At his seventh career starts and his first racing preparation, this son of Extreme Choice recorded his fourth straight victory at his first attempt in Group company.
Lloyd settled this three-year-old gelding on the fence in the second half of the field and as the field hit the 600m mark, it appeared as though they were in a sticky position.
However, Lloyd found a gap and got off the fence to make his way to the outside, before letting down with an explosive turn of foot to run over the top of Fashion Legend ($12) and was able to hold off the fast-finishing Grebeni ($6), with those two filling the placings.
2023 Winx Guineas Replay – Knights Choice
John Symons & Sheila Laxon recorded their 15 Group victory as a training partnership, and Symons spoke of their victory post-race.
“To think he's done all this in his first prep, it's unbelievable,” Symons said of Knight's Choice.
“From getting beaten in a Kilcoy maiden to winning a Group 3 race today, it's just sensational.
“He's a very good horse, we'll send him for a spell then think about where we go next with him.
“We might look at the Melbourne spring or there's the Magic Millions here in January. Who knows?
“We'll just let the dust settle on this win first.”
Jaden Lloyd was very emotional after his first Group 3 victory, and he spoke post-race.
“He's just a really lovely animal, and I can't thank John and Sheila enough for giving me the opportunity with him,” Lloyd said.
“I galloped him on Tuesday, and he just filled me with confidence. He's only going to get better with time because he's got such an electric turn of foot.
“I was trapped away early, but I decided to drop my hands and let him relax into stride.
“Once I got to the outside, I just let him rip. I haven't ridden a horse with a turn of foot like that before, he's a lovely animal.”