Darley resident Reset was back in business over in New Zealand on Boxing Day when Knight’s Tour scored an eye-catching victory in the G2 Great Northern Guineas (1600m) at Ellerslie.

Knight’s Tour (3c Reset – Hestia by Machiavellian) joins a cavalcade of stars on the Great Northern Guineas honour roll including last year’s winner Jimmy Choux.

Winning jockey James McDonald positioned Knight’s Tour on the speed before clicking him up in the straight to hold off Ocean Park (Thorn Park) by a head.  Regally bred colt Burgundy (Redoute’s Choice) rallied along the rails to finish less than a length away in third place.

Knight’s Tour had won on debut at Te Ahora in November and then stepped straight into open company for a promising third in the Stella Artois 3YO Mile at Ellerslie on December 3.  “He’s still learning,” trainer Stephen McKee said.  “He will run in the Wellington Stakes next month on the way to the New Zealand Derby in March.”

Knight’s Tour comes from the family of Octagonal’s French G1 winner Laverock.  His dam Hestia has a 2yo Lonhro colt named Tiryns, a yearling colt by Commands and a filly foal by Medaglia d’Oro.

Reset has sired 16 stakes winners headed by this season’s G1 W S Cox Plate winner Pinker Pinker.  He stands for a $16,500 (inc gst) fee at Darley’s Northwood Park nursery in Victoria.

Knight’s Tour’s victory comes hot on the heels of Reset mare Cassini who won the G3 Manawatu Cup on December 17.