Frankie Dettori treated the Haydock crowd to his trademark flying dismount after steering Kinross to an impressive victory in the Betway John Of Gaunt Stakes on Saturday.

Ralph Beckett’s four-year-old was considered a potential top-notcher in his younger days – competing at the highest level in the Vertem Futurity Trophy, the 2000 Guineas and the Prix Jean Prat.

Having disappointed on a couple of occasions at the Dubai Carnival at Meydan earlier in the year, Dettori admitted he was more hopeful than confident about his chances in the Group 3 feature on Merseyside.

However, the 5/1 co-favourite of three bounced back to his best – powering clear of his rivals and passing the post with a length and a quarter in hand over Irish raider Njord.

Dettori said: “He had some good form as a two-year-old. Marc (Chan, owner) bought him with the thought of having a good Carnival in Dubai, but things didn’t go his way – he wasn’t ready for it.

“Ralph decided to geld him and we didn’t know what to expect today, to be honest. His first two runs this year were really bad, so I rode him to run well.

“He got the splits when I wanted them and in fairness he picked up and put the race to bed straight away.

“Prior to the race we were a little bit puzzled, but he showed he’s still got ability and we can make a plan.”

The popular Italian returned to the winner’s enclosure to warm applause from racegoers.

He added: “It was quite weird when I was cantering down to the start for the second race – people on the rail were shouting my name.

“It’s something that I wasn’t accustomed to for the last 18 months. It’s good to have an atmosphere back.”

ROYAL WINNER

King’s Lynn will bid to provide the Queen with a Royal Ascot success next month after opening his account for the campaign in the Betway Achilles Stakes.

Andrew Balding’s four-year-old had been beaten less than a length on his first two starts of the season – most recently pushing the reopposing El Astronaute close at Chester three weeks ago.

Back on a straight track, it was a very different story, with El Astronaute under pressure from the halfway stage and ultimately well beaten, while in contrast 3/1 favourite King’s Lynn travelled smoothly in the hands of Oisin Murphy.

The Cable Bay gelding picked up well to grab the lead and had enough in reserve to get the better of Moss Gill by a neck.

Balding said: “He’s done very little wrong in all his starts and he’s still reasonably lightly raced for a horse of his age.

“He’s entitled to keep on improving, I hope. I’m very pleased with him.

“He’s still in the King’s Stand and the Wokingham (at Royal Ascot). He’ll have a penalty in the Wokingham, but those are the two objectives – it will be one or the other.

“It’s impossible to say which one he’ll go for at this stage. We’ll have to see what his official rating does.”

MURPHY DOUBLE

Murphy, battling a bout of toothache, was completing a double on the card, having earlier steered Quickthorn to a clear-cut success in the opening Heed Your Hunch At Betway Handicap.

The champion jockey missed his final three rides at Yarmouth on Friday, but returned to the saddle aboard Hughie Morrison’s 3/1 market leader in the opener on Merseyside.

Quickthorn travelled strongly for much of the mile-and-a-half contest before being driven eight and a half lengths clear, with Master The Stars beating Labeebb to the runner-up spot.

Murphy said afterwards: “I’m on Amoxicillin and plenty of painkillers. It’s just impossible to see a dentist at the moment unless you’ve got a proper hole in your head!”

Morrison decided not to make the long journey north, but was delighted with Quickthorn’s performance.

“It’s great when owners are patient enough to give a horse time to mature and strengthen up. Hopefully that patience is being rewarded with this horse now,” said the Summerdown-based trainer.

“He got jarred up on the very fast ground last spring, so we’ve given him time and he’s potentially a very nice horse.

“He’s homebred for Lord and Lady Blyth, which is great.

“We’ll see where we go, but I’d imagine we’d want a bit of juice in the ground.”

HENRY CANDY WINNER

La Lune graduated to 3 Three company in style with a clear-cut victory in the Betway Pinnacle Stakes.

Henry Candy’s five-year-old has been lightly raced so far, with this 12-furlong heat just her ninth start, but she had been making strides – securing a Listed win in the Nottinghamshire Oaks on her seasonal bow last month.

Connections duly opted to move up again in class, and the decision paid dividends as she saw off Cabaletta by a length and three-quarters in the hands of David Probert.

Oisin Murphy set out to make all on favourite Oriental Mystique, but the distress signals were evident with a couple of furlongs to run, as both Cabaletta and La Lune moved on to her heels after she set just a steady pace.

Cabaletta was the first to strike for home, but Probert was clearly travelling the better and La Luna lengthened in style to stride comfortably clear at the line.

Oriental Mystique stuck on again at the finish after seemingly hitting a flat spot, but Cabaletta secured second by half a length.

Candy expects to tackle even bigger things in due course, but has no definite target in his sights.

He said said: “She’s so genuine and straightforward. She’s just wants to please and you don’t get many like that. She’s absolutely tiny, but she’s got a huge stride and a huge heart.

“I was worried about the ground, but (clerk of the course) Kirkland Tellwright was brilliant and said it would be good to soft. It wasn’t ideal, but she’s coped with it. When they want to do it, it makes a big difference.

“I haven’t got anything in mind at all – I’m taking it very much step by step.

“I’m delighted she’s been able to win a group race. Now she’s won a Group 3 we might step up – it’s the logical thing to do.”

Probert was similarly thrilled and said: “She’s got a heart of gold and has really excelled this season.

“I was a little bit doubtful about the ground not drying up enough. She has form in heavier conditions, but in defeat. She was really relentless at Nottingham in the listed race and that was on very quick ground.

“She really relished the mile and a half today. She enjoys passing horses and she’s a warrior.

“The way she’s done it today is pretty exciting.”

THRILLING FINISH

Punchbowl Flyer came out on top in a thrilling finish to the Betway Handicap.

Eve Johnson Houghton’s 18/1 shot was almost joined on the line by 4/1 favourite Bielsa on the line, but the judge confirmed Punchbowl Flyer had held on by a nose.

Winning jockey Charles Bishop said: “I was a bit worried going over the line that Silvestre (de Sousa, on Bielsa) might have got his head down before me, but thankfully we got there.

“The ground is good to soft. He’s not as happy on that as he is on heavy ground, but hopefully he’s improving.

“The owners talked about not running him, but with the ground drying up in the next couple of weeks they decided to take their chance. It’s a good job they did.”

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