Evergreen Kinross hunting third Lennox Stakes victory

Ashley Iveson
July 29, 2024 12:19 pm

Ralph Beckett’s charge plundered the Group Two prize in 2021 and 2023.

Kinross goes in search of a third victory in the HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes at Goodwood on Tuesday.

Ralph Beckett’s charge plundered the Group Two prize in 2021 and 2023, and was only narrowly denied by Sandrine in 2022.

After pushing Montassib close in Newcastle’s Chipchase Stakes on his first start of the current campaign, the seven-year-old could only finish eighth in the July Cup at Newmarket earlier this month – but connections admit there will be “no excuses” on his return to the Sussex Downs.

🏇 Kinross justifies favouritism, holding off a battling Isaac Shelby to land the Group 2 World Pool Lennox Stakes for Frankie Dettori and Ralph Beckett 👏@RalphBeckett @WorldPool pic.twitter.com/TvrTprIfH7
— Goodwood Racecourse (@Goodwood_Races) August 1, 2023

“We’re excited to be going to Goodwood, a track that he loves – he probably should have won the race three times by now,” said Jamie McCalmont, racing manager to owner Marc Chan.

“It would be an amazing achievement for any horse to win three races at Goodwood and I think just due to the fact he’s getting older, he probably needs more than one race to get in tune.

“There’ll be no excuses on Tuesday. The ground shouldn’t be too firm hopefully.”

One of the biggest threats to the defending champion is the Ed Walker-trained English Oak, who steps up in class after a dominant handicap victory in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

James Doyle aboard English Oak after winning the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)

The son of Wootton Bassett has proved himself versatile ground-wise this season and Walker is looking forward to seeing how he fares at Group Two level.

“He’s in cracking form and has not missed a beat since Ascot, so it will be interesting to see how he gets on,” said the Lambourn-based trainer.

“He’s got a lot to make up as on official ratings he’s the lowest-rated in the field and yet he’s vying for favouritism, which on the numbers doesn’t make a lot of sense.

“He’s also never run in a stakes race, so without being pessimistic he’s got to step up to win this.

“We’re very happy with him, we’ve no worries with the ground and we’ve got a good draw (stall four) I think he’ll run his race and I hope he gets a good trip round and then we’ll find out how good he is.”

Noble Dynasty and William Buick winning the Criterion Stakes at Newmarket (Steven Paston/PA)

Noble Dynasty is two from two in Britain this season for Charlie Appleby, beating English Oak with an all-the-way success in a Newmarket handicap in early May before getting the better of the high-class Nostrum in the Group Three Criterion Stakes on the July course last month.

Speaking on the Godolphin website, Appleby said: “Noble Dynasty is a rock-solid horse who heads into this on the back of a pleasing win in the Criterion Stakes.

“He didn’t run very well at this meeting a couple of years ago, but he was backing up quickly that day and is a different horse now.

“This is a step up from his last run and he will need to bring his A-game, but he’s in good form and deserves his place in the line-up.”

John of Gaunt Stakes winner Tiber Flow (William Haggas) and the surprise Lockinge hero Audience (John and Thady Gosden) also feature in a competitive field.