Mr King (15/8f) quickened well to win Naas' slowly-run Nursery Of Champions Apprentice Handicap today, scoring a second career success for his trainer Ger Lyons and owners Newtown Anner Stud Farm.

The eight-runners dawdled in the early part of the mile race with Mr King, under jockey James Ryan, racing in rear before finishing strongly to lead inside the final furlong and beat runner-up Barbapapa by a length and a half.

Afterwards Lyons reported “he's a grand horse and as Gary Carroll (jockey) says at home, he's a group horse but hasn't brought that to the track yet. He was in his own grade today and won like a good horse.

“James (Ryan) comes in, rides out twice a week and I think he's a really good apprentice and is great to have in a race like that. I told him that when this horse comes off the bridle, he won't help you so just produce him late. I think everything worked out fairly well.”

“We took nosebands off him and other things, and by accident or design it worked. We thought he wanted further but that seems to be where I'll park him at the moment.”

He added “the cherry on the cake is that Maurice (Regan, owner) is home - I don't see much of him at all so it's nice to give him a winner when he's here.”

Quotes from Gary Carson