Trainer Ciaron Maher saddles up King Charles III’s horse Gilded Water at Kembla Grange on Saturday

Gilded Water, the aristocratic former English galloper owned by His Majesty King Charles III, is set to make his Australian debut at the Kembla Grange stand-alone meeting on Saturday.

Tom Marquand rides Gilded Water (purple silks, red sleeves) in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot. Picture: Alan Crowhurst / Getty Images

Gilded Water, the aristocratic former English galloper owned by His Majesty King Charles III, is set to make his Australian debut at the Kembla Grange stand-alone meeting on Saturday.

Trainer Ciaron Maher has chosen a lowly benchmark 78 race over 2000m for Gilded Water but the lightly-raced four-year-old gelding’s reputation precedes him and he is challenging for favouritism at $4.80 with TAB Fixed Odds.

Maher revealed the King contacted him when in Sydney during his recent royal visit to get an update on Gilded Water.

“It’s an absolute pleasure to train for His Majesty, I’m very proud and I’m sure the team is as well,’’ Maher said.

“He’s a lovely horse and came over in good order. He had a trial at Warwick Farm and has had a couple of pieces of work

“He came here with a low rating so he has no weight and I’m sure he will acquit himself very well.’’

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Gilded Water, a three-year-old by northern hemisphere time and bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II, has raced only four times in England when trained by the maestro William Haggas, scoring a maiden win at Chepstow. He hasn’t raced since finishing unplaced in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

“I used to train Gilded Water and he’s a really good horse,’’ Haggas said recently.

“He’s only had four starts, he’s by Fastnet Rock, and he’s been sent to Australia by the King but he is going to be a very good stayer.’’

Interestingly, Gilded Water is bred on the same cross as super mare Via Sistina – by Fastnet Rock out of a Galileo mare.

Gilded Water’s dam, Fiery Sunset, has also produced the Maher-trained Circle Of Fire, winner of the Group 1 Sydney Cup earlier this year.

A horse owned by His Majesty King Charles III, Gilded Water, does his best work late to finish third in a Warwick Farm trial behind Hopeful and Baby Rider. @racing_nsw | @aus_turf_club | @tabcomaupic.twitter.com/qjwdnycGx9

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 28, 2024

• Clinton Payne’s The Gong tips, runner-by-runner form analysis

Maher has a powerful entry for the Kembla feature, the Group 3 $1 million The Gong (1600m), with four starters – Gringotts, Vivy Air, Berkshire Shadow and Griff, plus first emergency Glory Daze.

Gringotts and Vivy Air ran the quinella in the Big Dance at Royal Randwick last start and Maher said both horses have trained on well going into The Gong.

“Gringotts jumped from a wide gate in the Big Dance last start and was able to get away with it,’’ Maher said.

“He gets a little bit more weight here but he can do it. The horse is still on the up, this is only his fourth run in and he is probably the class runner. He’s a very honest horse who gets better with each preparation.

“Vivy Air has a decent weight pull, 7kg does make a difference, and she is in really good form.’’

Maher is hopeful the addition of blinkers will promote an improved performance from Berkshire Shadow, he expects Griff to run competitively from the “soft’’ draw and declared lightweight Glory Daze will be better suited at 1600m.