Quality Perth galloper King Saul bounced back to his brilliant best at Ascot on Saturday when he scored a thrilling win in the listed Northerly Stakes (1400m).

At his first run since March, King Saul produced a powerful finish under Shaun O’Donnell to nab Kerrific right at the post to win by a nose.

Trainer Trevor Andrews was thrilled with the proven big race winner and predicted a bright campaign for the son of Flying Pegasus.

“I’ve been that happy with horse on the whole way through,” Andrews said. “His work Tuesday morning was first class and all he had to do was bring that back to the races.”

“I’m really looking forward to stepping him up in the ground – the Railway obviously and then the Kingston Town and even the (Perth) Cup is not out of it.”

King Saul is a graduate of Namerik Thoroughbreds and was purchased by Craig Thompson’s Mount Hallowell Stud for $120,000 at the 2010 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale. Thompson races the star galloper in partnership with Marty Young.

As it stands the talented galloper boasts the record of four wins and a third placing (at Group One level) from just nine starts with earnings of $435,850.

As a three-year-old King Saul proved to be the state’s best with a win in the Group Two Western Australian Guineas and listed Belgravia Stakes before running third in the Kingston Town Classic at racing’s elite level.

King Saul is one of two winners, from two to race, for the well related Zabeel mare Zenda.

A winner at 1400 metres, Zenda is a three quarters sister to Asavant and half sister to fellow stakes winners Pins ‘n’ Needles and Coup Fieldes.

He is by Flying Pegasus – the Group Two winning son of Fusaichi Pegasus and sire of Western Fever, The Rising, Absolute Cracker and Divine Hero.

King Saul continued a golden run for graduates of the Perth Yearling Sale of recent weeks.

Moment of Change, a $50,000 Perth Sale purchase, was sent for a break after winning the Group One Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield.

And on Saturday at Bendigo another Perth sold son of Barely a Moment, the untapped gelding Khalifa scored an effortless three and a half length success.

A $57,000 BC3 Thoroughbreds purchase trained by Mark Kavanagh, Khalifa is unbeaten in three runs and the giant gelding looks a black type galloper in the making.

Winner: King Saul
Breeding: Flying Pegasus-Zenda (Zabeel)
Race: WATC Northerly Stakes LR (1400m)
Sold for: $120,000
Sale: 2010 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale
Vendor: Namerik Thoroughbreds
Buyer: Mount Hallowell Stud
Earnings: $435,850
Owner(s): Mt Hallowell Stud (Mgr: Craig Thompson) & MJ Young
Trainer: Trevor Andrews (Ascot)

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