The Lennox Stakes has often been won by a seven-furlong specialist with a high cruising speed and turn of foot who tends to struggle once elevated to Group 1 company.
That final point has applied much less since the significant cash injection to the race’s prize-money, and dual Group 1 winner Kinross seeks to land this £180,000 prize for a third time in four years.
Kinross’s explosive burst of acceleration is at its most potent when there is give in the ground and, although underfoot conditions are unlikely to be ideal after two or three days of significant drying, the going should still prove to be suitable for him.
The formbook suggests this is his best trip, so two defeats this season over six furlongs, including when below-par in the July Cup last time, can be ignored.
Judged on overall form, Kinross is likely to prove devilishly difficult to beat. There is a strong possibility the seven-year-old holds a major class edge over year-younger Noble Dynasty, despite the Godolphin runner’s improved form this season which saw him land the Group 3 Criterion Stakes at Newmarket last time.
However, Noble Dynasty was well beaten off a mark of 97 in the Golden Mile at this meeting two years ago.
English Oak is also progressing rapidly and zipped to an impressive three-length win in Royal Ascot’s Buckingham Palace Stakes last month. Beaten two lengths by Noble Dynasty in a Newmarket handicap in May, English Oak renews rivalry on 15lb worse terms.
Tiber Flow, winner of three of his four starts over 7f – the sole defeat in the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes in 2022 – will require a better performance than when winning the Group 3 John Of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock last month, but arrives in top form.
Race analysis by Richard Birch
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Can Kinross create history as a three-time Lennox winner?
Rossa Ryan believes Kinross will be primed to be at his brilliant best as he bids to create history with a third Lennox Stakes success.
The Ralph Beckett-trained star has been a regular in this race, winning impressively under Ryan three years ago and a luckless second behind Sandrine in 2022.
However, he became just the third dual Lennox Stakes hero when scoring under Frankie Dettori last year and attempts to become a record-breaker as the only horse to win the Group 2 three times since its inception in 2000.
Kinross: winner of last year’s Lennox StakesCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)
The Marc Chan-owned eight-year-old finished eighth in the July Cup on his last start under Ryan, but the jockey hopes it will have helped Kinross come forward again – he has a 4-9 record in the months of July and August, as opposed to 1-6 in May and June – as he returns to one of his happiest hunting grounds.
He said: “The draw in stall eight might not be ideal but he seems well at home. I feel as if the July Cup will have put him spot on for this too. He does seem to come alive here and we won the Lennox three years ago.
“The stiff finish really suits his strengths and with Art Power in there, I hope there will be a fast end-to-end gallop, which’ll help him. Hopefully, he can win and then follow the same paths he did last year again.”
What they say
Robert Havlin, rider of Audience
He seems to be in good form. I had a sit on him when working on Saturday morning and he felt great. He ran in the Lennox last year and it didn’t work out and this time he has a 5lb penalty too. We’ve decided to leave the hood off of him this time to see if that helps and if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. I’m really looking forward to getting on him again.
Alastair Donald, racing manager to King Power, owners of Art Power
We’ve been looking forward to trying him over seven furlongs for a bit because this is a track where seven on the speed can be the right place to be. I’m hoping the ground doesn’t dry up too much, but I think it’ll be perfectly good ground, and he’s a good each-way chance.
Ed Walker, trainer of English Oak
It’s exciting running him in this. I did feel his price was a little short on official ratings and what he’s achieved compared to the others. It’s not that I don’t believe in him though, I absolutely do, there’s just some proper smart horses in there with proven Group form which we don’t have, and this is a massive step up. He’s a horse that’s always slightly surprised us and looks smart. Whether he’s good enough to beat this lot we’ll find out.
Charlie Appleby, trainer of Noble Dynasty
He 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.
William Haggas, trainer of Tiber Flow
He’s been very good at home since winning a Group 3 at Haydock. It’s a strong race but he’s very well, very genuine and has useful form at seven furlongs. Whether it’s useful enough to win this is the unknown, but he’s well in himself.
Reporting by Matt Rennie
Read the rest of our Tuesday previews:
1.50 Goodwood: Can Enfjaar continue on an upward curve for Roger Varian in wide-open Goodwood curtain-raiser?
2.25 Goodwood: Will Aidan O’Brien’s The Parthenon prove a class above his rivals in the Vintage Stakes?
3.35 Goodwood: ‘We couldn’t be any happier with him’ – Aidan O’Brien’s star stayer Kyprios bids to regain the Goodwood Cup
4.50 Galway: ‘She’s way overpriced’ – which trainer thinks the market is completely wrong in the Galway opener?
7.10 Galway: ‘He’s a tough, hardy horse who we think is in off a nice mark’ – analysis and quotes for the mile handicap