Kennet Valley Syndicates are aiming high with the valiant veteran Sir Busker after his triumphant return to form at York during the Ebor Festival.
The eight-year-old had not won since July 2022 and faced a serious setback in Dubai last year. However, following a promising all-weather campaign earlier this year and a successful return from a four-month break, Sir Busker ran well at Goodwood before claiming his seventh career victory on the Knavesmire.
Kennet Valley racing manager Sam Hoskins said: "It was an amazing day and very emotional. Sir Busker nearly lost an eye in Dubai in March 2023, and we were incredibly fortunate that the surgeons managed to save it. He lost a lot of condition and muscle, so it was fantastic to see him come back strong. He looked great on the all-weather in the spring, ran well at Goodwood, and then delivered a brilliant performance at York. He was well handicapped for the race, but he still had to prove himself, and he did so impressively. With the victory, he’s gone up 5lb in the handicap. Our plan now is to target either the Doonside Cup at the Ayr Gold Cup meeting or the Foundation Stakes at Goodwood the following Wednesday. If all goes well, we’re hoping to enter the $1 million Bahrain International Trophy in mid-November. Although we thought the overseas races might be behind us, with All-Weather Finals Day now featuring handicaps, this seems like a perfect opportunity. It’s not like a lengthy stint in Dubai, so we can aim for this race, give him a nice break afterwards, and then hopefully continue his career next season. He’s only had two races this autumn and is fresh after a break, so he’s almost back to his best form from two years ago. William Knight does a fantastic job with older horses, and we hope there’s still more to come from him. The Bahrain race was won last year by Spirit Dancer, who is a similar type to Sir Busker, so we’re excited about giving it one more try overseas—if we can get in."
Sir Busker’s biggest win came in the Group Two York Stakes a couple of years ago, and he also finished third behind Baaeed in the Juddmonte International. He has been placed in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and won the Silver Royal Hunt Cup in 2020, with his career earnings just shy of £650,000.
Hoskins added: "It’s an incredible amount, not solely from winning races but also from numerous places in top-level events. He’s often been the bridesmaid to horses like Baaeed, and he remains a star in our eyes."