Silver Knott maintains Godolphin’s grip on Autumn Stakes

Silver Knott continued Godolphin’s domination of the Emirates Autumn Stakes when holding off Epictetus by a neck at Newmarket.

Trainer Charlie Appleby was winning the race for the fourth time since 2017, with his fellow Godolphin handler Saeed bin Suroor successful in 2019 with Military March as well as in 2016 with Best Solution.

Given Appleby has won the race with Ghaiyyath, One Ruler and this year’s 2000 Guineas winner Coroebus, he will be hoping Silver Knott goes on to be as good as any of that trio.

Sent off at 4-1 having disappointed last time out in the Champagne Stakes, he was nevertheless carrying a 3lb penalty for his victory in the Group Three Solario Stakes at Sandown.

William Buick brought him widest of all to challenge Epictetus and Frankie Dettori, who was riding just 35 minutes after a nasty fall in the opening race, and it always looked like he would come out on top.

The favourite, Holloway Boy, was briefly short of room on the rail and made late gains into third.

Appleby said: “It was a disappointing run at Doncaster, but we felt we had a genuine excuse (soft ground) and the step up in trip and going back on a sound surface was always going to suit him.

“He put in a nice performance at Sandown the time before and I think we’ve seen that again today. He’s carried the Group Three penalty against a competitive field.

“He doesn’t do anything flash. I know we were getting excited after Sandown, but the race broke down in front of him that day and went away from him up the hill.

“I haven’t had chance to speak to William yet, but I think in the middle of next season you’ll be seeing him at 10 furlongs for sure.

“We’ll potentially put him in one of the (Guineas) trials in the spring.”

Whether Silver Knott runs again this year remains to be seen, with Appleby not ruling out an outing in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, for which he was cut to 7-2 from 7-1 by Paddy Power.

He added: “It’s nice to get him back to winning ways and we can potentially put him away for the winter now, although the Breeders’ Cup has been mooted and we’ll keep that at the back of our minds.”