From The Racing Post
Day two at a behind-closed-doors Royal Ascot will be one trainer William Knight never forgets, after he saddled an emotional first winner at the meeting when Sir Busker, a son of California stallion Sir Prancealot, landed the Silver Royal Hunt Cup.
The Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds-owned four-year-old powered home late under champion jockey Oisin Murphy to defeat the Roger Varian-trained Salayel by three-quarters of a length with the first four home racing on the stands’ side from stalls 18, 17, 21 and 19.
Knight, who recently moved bases from Sussex to Newmarket, said: “When Sir Busker won at Newcastle that was my first runner from the yard, which is important, but that morning my father died and he was a big supporter of mine.
“So the horse has a real emotional bond to me now and to enjoy a Royal Ascot win with him is fantastic. All credit has to go to my team.
“He’s tailor-made for these big mile handicaps. We’ll go where the money is but the Balmoral is a good target for him.”
Sir Busker was a first winner of the week for Murphy and fourth at the meeting overall.
Murphy said: “It’s a very important winner. I’ve had a luckless few days leading up to this and my confidence has been up and down.
“There wasn’t the roar of the crowd that we love and dream about all year round but Royal Ascot is very important and to get on the scoresheet means a lot.”