King Of Cities secures Strensall crown

King Of Cities narrowly outpointed Boiling Point to provide owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid with a one-two in the Sky Bet Strensall Stakes at York.

A quality field of eight runners went to post for the Group Three opener on the fourth and final day of the Ebor Festival, with the William Haggas-trained Bullet Point the 9-4 favourite to make it two wins on the Knavesmire this week following a lucrative handicap success on Thursday.

Boiling Point set out to make all the running, with Bullet Point and King Of Cities his nearest pursuers – and while the market leader weakened when push came to shove, the Richard Hannon-trained 11-1 shot King Of Cities came home strongly under Sean Levey to get up by a head.

Skukuza, who was ridden with more restraint, was finishing best of all and was only a neck further behind in third, with Bullet Point faltering into seventh.