Kinross back to winning ways

Kinross has been a terrific horse for his connections and the six year old claimed the Group 2 Lennox Stakes at Goodwood for a second time on Tuesday. The Kingman gelding won the seven furlongs event in 2021 and was unfortunate twelve months ago behind Sandrine. However, the dual Group 1 winner regain his crown with a gusty display under regular partner Frankie Dettori. Aided by the cut away on the far rail, he stayed on gamely to repel the three year old Isaac Shelby to win by a neck. Ralph Beckett indicated that the Group 2 City of York Stakes later this month will be next - he won that event last year by a length and a quarter. Granted seven furlongs and some ease in the ground, Kinross is a potent force and a credit to his connections. In total, he has earned £1,304,573.

Last summer Quickthorn won the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup at York by fourteen lengths under a positive ride from Tom Marquand. The same rider was back on board the six year old in the Group 1 Goodwood Cup and he soon established a healthy advantage which was never relinquishing. Hughie Morrison's charge maintained the gallop and crossed the line six lengths in front of Emily Dickinson and Coltrane. It was a tremendous effort from a horse who tends to show his best in the summer rather than the Autumn. The Ascot Gold Cup winner Courage Mon Ami could never land a blow finishing sixth. Perhaps the easy ground, which he was encountering for the first time, played against the four year old.

Switching codes, I interviewed Jonjo O'Neill jnr on Tuesday morning, while he was en route to Perth, for One Jump Ahead. Jackdaws Castle is the home to a number of exciting young horses, as well as plenty of established names, and the team has been swelled during the summer with some potentially smart arrivals from Ireland. Later the same day, Olly Murphy kindly ran through his team for the new campaign. Gordon Elliott's former assistant sent out 81 winners last term with stable stalwart Brewin'upastorm winning the Grade 2 National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell for a second time. Once again, Olly has a strong squad for the winter ahead.