Trained by Michael Dods at his yard in Piercebridge, County Durham, King's Crown arrived there having been given a tough early education — raced hard as a young horse at a high level, then gradually finding his way down to a mark where he could compete more comfortably. Dods spotted the opportunity. Speaking last August, he noted that the horse had dropped from a rating of 72 down to 62, and said plainly: "When he puts it together I can't believe he won't be winning soon." That kind of quiet confidence from a trainer who sent out 43 winners this season alone is worth paying attention to.
The numbers back up the optimism, at least in patches. On normal ground, King's Crown wins roughly 1 in every 6 races — 4 wins from 24 — which is a meaningfully better record than his overall figures suggest. He clearly goes best when the track rides as it should, not too wet, not too firm. And at Thirsk, where his career began with a win back in May 2022, he has won 2 from 7 races, a course record that marks him out as a horse with genuine affection for a particular venue. Two wins from seven attempts at one track is the sort of stat that makes punters circle it in their notebooks.
His most recent win came on New Year's Day 2026 at Newcastle — a nice way to start a year — though he has not added to that in the six races since, with a best finish of fourth in that run. Sean Kirrane, who rides him more than anyone else, has won 3 of their 15 races together, which works out at roughly 1 in every 5 — a strong partnership by any measure.
King's Crown raced just yesterday, which tells you everything about how active and sound a six-year-old he remains. He is the kind of horse a knowledgeable racing fan watches each time with the quiet expectation that today might be the day it clicks again.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle Galloping |
19 | 3 wins, 3 seconds, 3 thirds, 10 other | 4 Feb | 15.8% |
| Thirsk Galloping |
7 | 2 wins, 1 second, 4 other | 16 Jun | 28.6% |
| Pontefract Undulating |
6 | 1 second, 2 thirds, 3 other | 22 May | 0% |
| Southwell Galloping |
5 | 1 win, 4 other | 2 Apr | 20% |
| Ayr Galloping |
5 | 1 second, 4 other | 13 Jul | 0% |
| Doncaster Galloping |
4 | 1 win, 1 second, 2 other | 19 Jul | 25% |
| York Galloping |
4 | 1 second, 3 other | 17 Jun | 0% |
| Wolverhampton Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 3 Feb | 0% |
| Beverley Undulating |
2 | 1 second, 1 other | 30 Aug | 0% |
| Chester Tight |
2 | 2 other | 14 Jun | 0% |
| Newmarket Galloping |
2 | 2 other | 20 Apr | 0% |
| Redcar Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 1 Oct | 0% |
| Ripon Sharp |
1 | 1 third | 23 Apr | 0% |
| Wetherby Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 26 Apr | 0% |
| Musselburgh Sharp |
1 | 1 third | 7 Jun | 0% |
| Ascot Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 14 Jun | 0% |
| Haydock Park Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 8 Jul | 0% |
| Carlisle Undulating |
1 | 1 third | 19 May | 0% |