Kingston Hill (horse)

Kingston Hill (foaled 15 January 2011) is a retired British

Kingston Hill's dam is Audacieuse, a daughter of Rainbow Quest. Audacieuse was trained by Élie Lellouche to win the Group 3 Prix de Flore in 2000.^[3] Kingston Hill was purchased by Charles Gordon-Watson for 70,000 guineas at Tattersalls October Yearlings Sale.^[4] He is owned by Paul Smith and trained by Roger Varian.^[5]

Kingston Hill made his racecourse debut on 21 September 2013 in a seven-furlong maiden race at Newbury. He appeared to show his inexperience in the race, but readily beat odds-on favourite Exchequer by one and a half lengths.^[6] Three weeks later Kingston Hill was sent off at the odds of 15/2 in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket. He was held up near the rear of the field in the early stages of the race, but progress through the pack to take the lead inside the final furlong, going on to win by two lengths from pre-race favourite Oklahoma City.^[7]

On 26 October, Kingston Hill was one of eleven horses to contest the

Kingston Hill was scheduled to renew his rivalry with Australia in the Irish Derby at the Curragh Racecourse three weeks later, but was withdrawn by Varian who felt that the ground at the Irish course was too firm.^[12] On 5 July, Kington Hill was matched against older horses for the first time in the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park Racecourse. Ridden by Frankie Dettori he was restrained in the early stages before making progress in the straight, but was unable to catch the leaders and finished fourth behind Mukhadram, beaten four lengths by the winner. It was expected that the colt would run next in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York Racecourse, but as in Ireland, he was withdrawn on account of the firm ground.

On 13 September, Kingston Hill started 9/4 favourite for the St Leger at Doncaster, despite doubts about his ability to cope with the firm ground. His twelve opponents included Romsdal, Snow Sky (Gordon Stakes) and Hartnell (Queen's Vase). Atzeni restrained the colt towards the rear of the field before moving up on the outside to make his challenge in the straight. He made rapid progress to take the lead in the closing stages and won from Romsdal and Snow Sky. Kingston Hill hung left towards the rail as he made his challenge and appeared to impede the run of Snow Sky, but after a stewards' inquiry the result remained unaltered. Atzeni said "I rode him like the best horse in the race. He travelled brilliant and he is so laid back he just goes to sleep. When I pulled him out he was always going to get there."^[13] Varian, who, like Atzeni, was winning his first classic, indicated that the colt could now be aimed at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.^[14]

On 5 October, Kingston Hill attempted to become the first St Leger winner to follow up in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He started at odds of 30/1, having been given an unfavourable draw on the far outside of the twenty runner field. The colt broke quickly and Atzeni tracked across to the inside to settle in second place behind the pacemaker Montviron. He remained among the leaders throughout the race and kept on well in the closing stages to finish fourth of the twenty runners behind Treve, Flintshire and Taghrooda.

In March 2015 it was announced that Kingston Hill had sustained an injury to his left foreleg and would miss the first half of the season. In July Varian revealed that the colt had suffered a fresh injury to the same leg and was unlikely to race in 2015. On 18 September it was announced that the colt would not race again and would be retired to stand as a breeding stallion at the Coolmore Stud.

At the end of the season Kingston Hill was voted Cartier Champion Two-year-old Colt.^[15] In the official ratings published in January 2014, Kingston Hill was rated the second-best European two-year-old of 2013, two pounds behind Toormore.^[16]

Note: b. =