Haydock Saturday

FEATURE contest on a very quiet weekend in Britain was the Group 3 John of Gaunt Stakes in which Ralph Beckett’s Kinross belatedly built on the promise of an impressive debut win under a well-judged ride from Frankie Dettori.

Travelling well from the off, the 5/1 co-favourite burst past the pace-setting Brad The Brief over a furlong out and quickened clear, before being closed down late by Njord (Jessie Harrington/Shane Foley), that horse getting to one and a quarter lengths at the line, but slightly flattered by the margin.

Glorious Journey (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) finished third, a further length and a half away. The race was run at an honest pace, and the principals all came from midfield or further back, although that may not be significant, with the result making plenty of sense in form terms.

Kinross was racing in the colours of breeder Julian Richmond-Watson when scoring at Newmarket in October 2019, and was so impressive that connections immediately fast-tracked him into Group 1 company.

He wasn’t disgraced in the Vertem Futurity or the 2000 Guineas, but he failed to progress as expected from his debut, and needed a drop to listed company to score at Kempton in November, after which he was sold to current owner, the Hong Kong-based Mark Chan. Gelded after arguably failing to stay one-mile, one-furlong twice at Meydan earlier in the year, he looked much more at home back at this trip and on easier ground, suggesting he may yet find further improvement.

This performance was visually more impressive than the distances suggest, and the programme of races below Group 1 level is excellent, with races like the Hungerford, Lennox and City of York all there to be plundered in the summer.

Njord ran right up to his very best on his third start of the season, and would appear to be on course to run in the Royal Hunt Cup, and he would look an obvious player, assuming the ground doesn’t come up very quick, having won the Balmoral Handicap over course and distance last autumn.

He is effective at seven furlongs but, on this evidence, the return to a well-run mile should suit him better.

Disappointment of the race was last year’s winner Safe Voyage, who is normally a model of consistency, but has run poorly on his last three starts. That was understandable in the Breeders’ Cup Mile and the Lockinge, but less so in ideal circumstance here.

Hopefully he can bounce back, as he has flown the flag proudly for owner Ross Harmon and trainerJohn Quinn in recent seasons.

La Lune shines with a straightforward win

TWO non-runners in the Group 3 Pinnacle Stakes for fillies and mares made for a less competitive test, but the race still went in smooth fashion to the improving La Lune (Henry Candy/David Probert), as she followed up a recent win in the Nottinghamshire Oaks at odds of 5/2.

She tracked the steady pace set by Oriental Mystique (David Simcock/Oisin Murphy), with Probert content to allow the blinkered Cabaleta (Roger Varian/David Egan) to have first crack at the leader before producing his mount with a smooth run to join issue over a furlong out. As the runner-up began to hang left, she quickly put the matter beyond doubt, winning by one and three-quarter lengths with a bit to spare.

Oriental Mystique was readily outpaced when headed, but battled on bravely and was closing on the runner-up at the finish, failing by a diminishing half-length to snatch second.

This wasn’t a strong race, with Alpinista taken out, and Salsada then refused to go in the stalls, so this reads more like a listed race on paper, and not form to get carried away with. That said, the winner looks more straightforward than the runner-up, and she doesn’t look to have reached her peak just yet, with the Lancashire Oaks over track and trip a logical next step.

Genuine

Trainer Henry Candy was delighted with her win: “La Lune is a joy to train. She’s so genuine and straightforward and just wants to please. I was worried about the ground, and it wasn’t ideal for her, but she coped with it. I haven’t got anything in mind, I’m taking it step by step. I’m delighted she’s managed to win a group race and it’s logical that we would want to take a step-up now because we’ve got nothing to lose.”

Hats off to King’s Lynn in a thriller

THE Listed Achilles Stakes at Haydock produced a rousing finish between two horses who were produced with their efforts from off the pace at the same time.

It was only in the last couple of strides that King’s Lynn (Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy) got the better of a thrilling duel with Moss Gill (Ed Bethell/P. J. McDonald), scoring by a neck to justify strong support which saw him sent off the clear favourite at 3/1.

The pair raced on opposite sides of the track in the early stages, but came together when seeking room to launch their respective challenges, and there appeared to be contact between the pair around two furlongs out, albeit with the winner appearing the injured party.

From that point, the pair dominated the race, and King’s Lynn proved the more determined for a narrow success in Queen Elizabeth’s silkss.

The winner had run second to El Astronaute at Chester, but that rival failed to fire having been unable to get to the front from a high draw as he prefers.

King’s Lynn had gained his previous success over an extended six furlongs as a two-year-old, but he justified the decision to keep him at five furlongs with this win, albeit aided by conditions which blunted the speed of the front runners.

King’s Lynn is prominent in the betting for the Wokingham, and while his official mark is now 107 having won at the weekend, the Wokingham is an early closing race, meaning he would have a 5lb penalty on top of his old mark of 95.

Well handicapped

That would make him the best handicapped horse in the race, although he’s also in the King’s Stand Stakes on the opening day of the meeting, and the prospect of winning a Group 1 at Royal Ascot must be tempting for connections.

Those considering getting involved ante-post in the Royal Ascot markets should also bear in mind that Andrew Balding also has Chil Chil in the six-furlong Wokingham, and that Newmarket winner also holds strong claims on form.

Noel Kelly lands 47/1 Kelso double

THERE have not been many Irish-trained runners on British tracks outside of the big meetings in recent times, but with life gradually returning to something like normal, that is beginning to change.

Draperstown trainer Noel Kelly landed a 47/1 double at Kelso on Sunday when Charcor (James Bowen) won the novice hurdle and Doune Castle (William Marshall) followed up in the staying handicap hurdle, in which the trainer also saddled Thimbleweed.