A potential clash with superstar Sheza Alibi and other topliners in the $10m Group I ATC Golden Eagle at Randwick in late October awaits Dan Morton's star sprinter miler King Of Light, now a winner of six of his seven starts.
The powerful son of Earthlight (IRE) was WA's star three year old last season, and made a dominant return to racing when he resumed on Saturday as a raging favourite in the Listed Idyllic Prince Stakes at WFA (1300m) at Belmont.
His outstanding Guineas win exempts King Of Light from the ballot for this season's G1 Railway Stakes (1600m).
While the historic mile at Ascot's summer carnival is the race that every local wants to win, champion Perth trainer Dan Morton is keen to aim for an even bigger pay day before then with his exciting galloper!
A gloomy late winter afternoon in Perth was lit up by the striking chestnut as he made light of a long spell, wet track and the WFA conditions to charge past the gallant grey Snowdome (Rommel) in the straight for an easy win.
King Of Light raced handy throughout for Willie Pike, who positioned him beautifully behind all-the-way leader Snowdome, Final Siren (I'm All The Talk) and Man Crush ( Manhattan Rain).
When Pike presented him, the big gelding with his raking stride responded readily and powered away under hands and heels to win eased down by more than one and a half lengths.
Snowdome fought on to hold second from Ginger Baker ( Gingerbread Man) who came home stoutly on the wet track to claim third in the Idyllic Prince for the second time. Another by the same sire, Fluro Neuro, made ground to grab fourth.
Dan Morton liked what he saw.
“I was impressed,” he said after the race.
“To be honest, I was a little bit nervous that he might be vulnerable today, the way the track was playing. He's probably a better horse sitting a pair further back, but he got the job done.
We’ll let the dust settle and have a chat to the connections, and think about where we go with him next.”
“It was just an inkling to apply the crossover noseband, he does wear it at trackwork all the time but he's never raced in it . At his last trial he had a tendency to get in a little bit,I don't know if it made a difference or the horse just went straight - but we took no chances.”
“Well see how that ( Golden Eagle campaign) plays out,” said Dan.
“I probably won't race him again here, but we will map out a program and if we're still happy by the middle of next week, we'll put him on a plane.
“He has naturally matured. Obviously we've always held him in high regard, but he's come back well. After nine months off they can't always come back and be sharp for you, so I was very happy with that.”
King Of Light’s victory was a stakes win that champion jockey William Pike will always remember with particular fondness, as later on Saturday evening the revered saddle-sitter would be honoured as an inductee into WA Racing’s Hall Of Fame on the industry’s night of nights.
“Once he stepped cleanly like that, I was so happy” said Pikey, the punter’s pal.
“We were in a great position, but I don't think he has ever sat on the speed like that”.
“Midway through the run I thought, oh well buddy, we're going to see how you like this - but he just didn't care. I got there too early, but it didn't matter, he was too good for them.”
“Stepping up to WFA, first up at the distance, I thought he might be vulnerable. They (opposition) weren't the A graders out there today, we're well aware of that - but I still did think at some stage we might be off the bridle and a little bit sketchy. If I'd known he was going to step like that I would have said to everyone, don't worry!”
“ He did hang in a fair bit in his trial, he was much, much better today. I don't know if it was the noseband, but it worked - and it'll be staying.”
King Of Light has now won six of seven starts for his proud syndicate of owners headed by the Mortons, and has earned a tidy $655,180 to date.
A $120,000 Magic Millions Perth purchase from the Amelia Park Racing and Breeding draft for his trainer, King Of Light is the second Australian stakes winner for the Godolphin- bred Earthlight (IRE) who shuttled briefly, and the fourth worldwide. His best progeny has been the dual G1 placed filly Daylight.
The brilliant son of Shamardal went undefeated as a juvenile, including wins in the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park Stakes in which he set a race record time. The colt was denied a G1 win at three by a neck in his final race start, the Prix de la Foret (1400m).
Much was expected, but Earthlight didn’t make the desired impact on Darley's brutally high powered Kildangan Stud roster - which boasts Shamardal sons like Blue Point, Pinatubo and Victor Ludorum - and is now at stud in France.
His place at Darley Europe has been supplanted by his even more talented three quarter brother, Shadow Of Light by Lope De Vega, a European Champion 2YO Colt ( G1 Dewhurst Stakes etc) and placed in the G1 2,000 Guineas at three. He will stand his first season in 2026.
The imposing King Of Light is built in the image of his sire and boasts the same distinctive markings including an unusual broken blaze - and he at least, inherited a stack of the old man's ability as well!
The dam of these outstanding colts Winters Moon (New Approach) won once in seven starts but was twice stakes placed, and is daughter of a dual G1 producing mare who was herself a half sister to Nijinsky's champion and 1982 Epsom Derby hero Golden Fleece.
King Of Light is the fourth foal of winning NZ bred mare Queen's Parade (Dalghar)- all have raced and three have won for her, while her 2021 filly Power Princess ( Puissance De Lune) died at three.
Queen's Parade produced a Manhattan Rain colt in 2023.
Purchased for $35,000 at the 2025 MM Perth by BK Racing from the draft of Nuimara Farm he is named Blue Sparx and looks like another promising one from the mare.
The Brian Kersley trained gelding got his maiden tag out of the way last Wednesday at Belmont over 1200m, having placed at each of his first two starts.
Queen’s Parade produced a filly to Shamardal's champion Blue Point in 2024, and another to Pierata last season. She is due to foal to Darley's champion sprinter Cylinder this year.
King Of Light's second dam Press Leak ( Rock Of Gibraltar) won over a mile in the USA and her six winners include the Savabeel filly Spirit Bird (won G3 Tibbie Stakes and 2nd in the G2 WA Guineas!)
Press Leak was a daughter of stakes winner Sneaky Quiet by Seeking The Gold, who won a Florida Oaks and placed in a G1 Kentucky Oaks.
King Of Light's family is that of top class Hong Kong galloper Ensued (runner up in a G1 HK Gold Cup) - and of the G1 The Goodwood winning colt Reserve Bank by Capitalist, who will stand his first season in 2026 as the first commercial sire offered by Evergreen Stud.
This damline goes back to stakes winner Treasure Chest - a full sister to the champion 2YO My Dear Girl who became dam of the great sire and perennial speed influence In Reality.
King Of Light is bred:
Mr Prospector 5m x5m,5m
Danzig x 4m,5m
He has two lines to Mr Prospector's best broodmare sire son Miswaki.
His damsire Dalghar by Anabaa is half brother to the great racehorses and champion sires Daylami and Dalakhani.
His full sister Daltaya was G1 placed and is dam of French Champion Older Female Dalkala, by Giant's Causeway - Earthlight's tail male line.
Dalghar, who stands at Brighthill Farm in NZ, is a beautiful type of thoroughbred and is sire of six stakes winners including the 2025 Perth Cup winner Hemlock Stone.
In the style of his great sire Anabaa, the deeds of King Of Light prove that Dalghar has the ability to impart speed as well as immense Classic depth in his role as a broodmare sire in particular.
A great feature of King Of Light's ancestry is his linebreeding to the amazing mare Rare Treat by Stymie, who raced 101 times from ages two to seven!
She collected five stakes races and imparted her brilliance and incredible toughness to her progeny.
Put to speed sire Tudor Minstrel Rare Treat produced her great filly What A Treat, dam of Be My Guest.
Her daughter Exotic Treat by Vaguely Noble is the ancestress of Earthlight, Shadow Of Light and Golden Fleece.
The outstanding G1 Prix Morny / Royal Ascot Commonwealth Cup winning filly Venetian Sun ( Starman) runner up to Comanche Brave in the 2026 G1 July Cup is another topliner from this fantastic family.
Rare Treat was bred 4 x 4 x 5 to Man O’ War and 5 x 5 to Broomstick, the great American broodmare sires.
She is from the same female line as mighty Storm Cat, Earthlight's tail male ancestor and thus his pedigree is topped and tailed by this breedshaping family.
King Of Light's pedigree creates the proven nick between Mr Prospector and his close relative Seattle Slew and this is also the family of Earthlight's second damsire Darshaan.
King Of Light is bred many times to the Blue Hen Lalun through her sons Never Bend and Bold Reason and is x 2 Riverman through his daughters.
Lalun's family (Sunshot 19-b) is that to which Earthlight’s damsire New Approach belongs.
He has two lines to Classic supersire Vagiely Noble and is linebred to that stallion's Blue Hen ancestress Belle Sauvage, via Galileo.
What a fantastic blend of stamina and speed!
The world is four year old King Of Light's oyster right now. How far can he go?
It will be exciting to follow the journey of this big and impressive galloper through the upcoming Spring.
