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Decorated Knight was on the mark again on Saturday as Knight Rider made all for a fluent success in maiden company at Ripon.

Making his first start for trainer Kevin Philippart de Foy and owner Ahmad Al Shaikh, Knight Rider showed good pace to assume a spot on the front end under Paul Mulrennan. The group threatened to swallow him up entering the final two furlongs but the colt dug deep, found another gear and lengthened clear for an impressive near two-length success.

Paul Mulrennan was visibly impressed, telling Sky Sports Racing: “It was a very good performance, he did it very, very well.

“He didn’t do a great deal in front but the further he went, the better he went. He’s straightforward, has good attitude and is a well-balanced horse. He jumped and travelled like a dream. I felt I was always in the right position and when I gave him a squeeze, he kept finding for me all the way up the straight and he galloped out well too.”

Knight Rider becomes the fourth winner for Decorated Knight out of a handful of runners. A €66,000 Goffs November foal, he was bred by La Fabbrica Delle Candele Sas out of Nazli, a former Blue Diamond mare who is an Invincible Spirit sister to classy sprinters Lethal Promise and Promising.

Decorated Knight made a brilliant start to his stud career when his very first runner, Silver Bullet Lady, was the impressive winner of a competitive conditions race at Salisbury for Roger Charlton.

Charming Knight also won on debut earlier this week while Dominanta has won in Denmark. Mezzanotte, Lady Fantasia and Holy Lands have also been placed.

There are plenty of well regarded two-year-olds waiting in the pipeline as well. John Gosden’s yard houses Sobegrand, a half-brother to Group 2 winner Aljazzi, Damaar, a relation to Order Of St George, and a colt out of the Group 1 two-year-old Princess Noor.

Roger Charlton also trains Amjad, a colt out of Group 3-winning two-year-old Shaden, in addition to Silver Bullet Lady while Roger Varian trains Kind Gesture, a filly out of our Group 1 performer Dawn Of Hope. 

Decorated Knight two-year-olds are also in the yards of Marco Botti, Sir Mark Prescott and Mark Johnston.

Decorated Knight was a brilliant multiple Group 1 winner who enjoyed his finest moments when successful in the Irish Champion Stakes, in which he beat a star studded field, Tattersalls Gold Cup and Dubai Sheema Classic.

He is also beautifully bred as a Galileo son of Pearling, a sister to multiple champion sire Giant’s Causeway.

Decorated Knight stands at the Irish National Stud.