There will be significant travelling support from the Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds partnership for their own star, the tough and talented, Sir Busker.

The William Knight-trained six-year-old has been a real flag-bearer for connections, winning at Royal Ascot, competing in Dubai and – on his last start – landing the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes over the same distance of an extended mile and a quarter as the opening day Group One.

That last victory saw the gelding’s official rating rise to a career-high of 115, some 36lb higher than the mark he was first given after winning a Newbury maiden as a two-year-old back in 2018.

It’s fair to say Sir Busker has provided quite the journey to connections during his 37-race career to date, which now sees them running in QIPCO British Champions Series contest.

Newmarket-based Knight said: “He has given everyone a lot of pleasure over those last four years.

“He started off winning a maiden at the back-end of his two-year-old career. He was a little bit of a tricky customer – he used to sort of throw his races away a bit in his early days.

“I think Jamie Spencer had a bit to do with him when he rode him at Kempton one day and we sort of dropped him out and he came with a run and won his race. That was really the turning point in his career because we worked out that was his sort of riding style and he went from strength to strength.

“It was a very poignant day the day he won at Newcastle (June 2, 2020) – it was our first runner out of Rathmoy Stables after moving to Newmarket. Kennet Valley supported us in our move up here and it was nice to repay them. It was the day my father died as well, so it was a day we’ll always remember for various reasons.

“Then he went on to the Silver Royal Hunt Cup, which gave us our first Royal Ascot winner, and he has given us so much pleasure after that. He was very competitive out in Dubai and then it really was the icing on the cake when he went up and won the Group 2 at York, which you felt he sort of so deserved after running such gallant races. And he’s been a little bit of a money-spinner along the way.”

Sir Busker’s first ever Group win came in a photo-finish as he pipped fellow entrant, Dubai Honour, by a nose on the Knavesmire in July.

Knight added: “The feeling when they called him the winner was just fantastic. There was a good team from Kennet Valley up there to watch him. He’s got some loyal supporters who have been out to all his meetings – been in Dubai with him; he has given them all just so much pleasure as well. He’s the sort of a horse of a lifetime for people like that.

“Everyone seems to get on very well. That was very visible when we were all in Dubai. We had great nights out and evenings racing when we there, having run three times. There was always a good turn-out every time he ran.

“ITV have always been very complimentary about him whenever he’s run at those big meetings. And he’s just got a lovely following. I think it just shows it can be done on the Flat as well as over the jumps.”

To add to the overall romance of the story, Knight’s travelling head girl Jitka and groom Fearghal Davis, who both ride Sir Busker at home, got married in the Czech Republic on the day that the horse triumphed last month at York.

Knight said: “They had a few of the Newmarket team out there all watching it and there was this big cheer which went up as they were sitting down, having their main course!”

Sir Busker is set to head back to York in fine fettle, according to his trainer. Knight said: “He did a nice bit of work on Wednesday morning which put him spot on for next week. I think York really suits him, his run-style…that nice long straight, they get racing quite far out. He has run some big races there, so I think that’s very much in our favour.

“ Look. I’m not saying we’re going to make up six lengths on Baaeed but I think we can definitely finish closer to him this time around. And it is fantastic prize money – it pays so well down to third, fourth – and I think it’s worth a punt.

“Jitka who rides him, could not be happier with him and his bit of work on Wednesday suggested he’s in a really good place. I am conscious he started his season quite early this year in Dubai in February, so I think this will probably be his last run before he has a little bit of a freshen-up. But he looks really good in his skin and seems very well in himself.

So I think he’s in as good a form leading into this race as he was at York the other day.”

And as for the usual Sir Busker following, Knight said: “I imagine there will be a big turn-out, definitely!