In the winter of 2019, King Of Hastings was earmarked as a future top-liner after winning at Caulfield before finishing second to Super Seth in the Group III McNeil Stakes. But the son of Ilovethiscity has proven to be a bit of a tricky character for Anthony and Sam Freedman.
The 4yo gelding was back to somewhere near his best in Sunday's $175,000 Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast.
With Taylor Marshall in the saddle, King Of Hastings kept up a solid gallop to defeat Charleise (Foxwedge) by three-quarters of a length with Desert Lord (High Chaparral) a neck back in third.
It was the second consecutive win in the race for Marshall after the Tony Gollan-trained Krone last year.
With his first stakes success, King Of Hastings advances his record to six wins and four seconds from 18 starts with earnings of $612,550.
"He was a bit aggressive early, so I was happy to bring him back underneath me and sit outside the leader," Marshall said.
"I felt I had a lapful of horse at the 300m, and he gave a very strong kick.
"I had a good chat with Sam this morning, and they were quietly confident.
"I have had a good association with all the Freedmans. I was apprenticed to Michael in Sydney for a little bit and have ridden for Lee and Anthony in Melbourne."
Bred by Chris Rentessis, King Of Hastings was purchased by Anthony Freedman for just $32,000 at the 2018 Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
The son of the Group 1 Randwick Guineas winner, Ilovethiscity, is the best of two winners from three to race out of the winning Danerich mare Handcut.
Handcut's dam Pentirara (Pentire) is a 3-time winning half-sister to the Group 1 SAJC Adelaide Cup winner The A Train and the stakes-placed Instantly the dam of the Group III Newcastle Cup winner Stratofortress.
Handcut has a yearling filly and weanling filly by Ilovethiscity (Magic Albert) and was covered by him again last spring.
King Of Hastings becomes the fifth stakes-winner for Noor Elaine Farm's Ilovethiscity, which stands at a fee of $8,800 in 2021.
