King's Officer To Be On Best Behaviour

The only instruction Blake Shinn will be given when he is legged aboard King's Officer at Warwick Farm is to keep the whip in his left hand.

King's Officer gave Tommmy Berry and racegoers some anxious moments before winning at Kembla Grange two weeks ago when he crossed in front of the field from the inside rail to the outside fence.

Berry is suspended, giving Shinn the task of piloting him in Wednesday's 2200m-Benchmark 65.

Trainer Terry Robinson remains bewildered by the gelding's antics at Kembla Grange.

"He is a bit of a nervous horse but he's never done anything like that before so hopefully it's a one-off," Robinson said.

"It looked pretty dramatic. I think he reacted when Tommy went to pull the whip through from one side to the other and just baulked.

"I don't give the top jockeys instructions. But I will be telling Blake to hold the whip in his left hand and from then on he's in charge."

It was not the first dramatic moment in King's Officer's life.

Before he raced, he was swimming at the South Coast beach where all Robinson's horses are exercised and decided to do things his way.

"He dumped the rider in the water and was headed to New Zealand," Robinson said.

"He was a long way out but luckily a couple surfers managed to turn him around or that's where he would have ended up.

"He does have a few little ways about him but he is also racing well."

King's Officer has been to the races 11 times for two wins and four minor placings.

He has drawn wide in Wednesday's race and Robinson envisages he will be further back than he was at Kembla Grange.

"I think he races better back in the field but he showed last time he could be forward as well," he said.

"I also think he is better on top of the ground but he is performing pretty well on wet tracks."