‘He’s the gift that keeps on giving’.
Already poised again to give another go at Group One glory, Kinross, the campaigner of Ralph Beckett, is gearing up to defend his crown in the Prix de la Foret at Paris Longchamp next month. The seven-year-old gelding, a stable stalwart, has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence this season, marked by his good victory in the Park Stakes at Doncaster, his ninth Group Race success over the last four years.
Despite an inauspicious start to the season, Kinross owed silence to the doubters at Doncaster when he put on a show that delighted his joint owners. Racing manager Jamie McCalmont spoke on behalf of owner Marc Chan, and there was a deep emotional attachment between the team and the horse. "Because of the emotional attachment everybody has to the horse, that win meant a lot," said McCalmont. "We went there pretty confident. He was in such good shape, and the ground was right for him. Maybe it was a softer competition, but it didn't matter—he was as good as he's ever been."
HE'S BACK ALRIGHT! 💥
Kinross bolts up in the Betfred Park Stakes 🥇#ITVRacing | @DoncasterRaces | @Rossaryan15 | @RalphBeckett pic.twitter.com/yaWraMjPRq
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) September 14, 2024
Kinross established himself as a Group One winner in 2022 after two successive victories: first in the Prix de la Foret and then in the Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot. His win on Arc weekend last year stamped his ticket to the sport's top sprinting ranks and attention would be wise to be paid to his return to Paris in October. A trip to the States for the Breeders' Cup still may be under consideration, but at the moment, McCalmont says ParisLongchamp is at the head of the queue: "The Foret's certainly next, and we'll see after that."
One of Kinross's greatest strengths had been the patient, thoughtful approach of his owner, Marc Chan, for whom McCalmont spoke warmly in praise of judicious thinking. "Marc takes a lot of credit," he said. "He's never put any pressure on to run in any race. It helps immensely when you have an owner who is understanding and trusts the team. Ralph Beckett and his crew have done a phenomenal job managing him."
Moving ahead, he said that if the Prix de la Foret indeed went to be Kinross' last race of this season, the team would be happy. "If the Foret is the last race, so be it. We'd probably go into the winter in a better state than last year, and there's no reason why he can't run in four or five races next year," he explained. There does, however, appear to be plenty of optimism for the future over Kinross, and the connections remain convinced that he has plenty more to come in his top-flight career.
Kinross's comeback has been especially welcome for his owners, who have had to nervously await the early-season performances. "If we hadn't won at Doncaster, we might have wondered whether the horse has gone off the boil," McCalmont confessed. "If he hadn't won, we'd have thought the engine wasn't there anymore. But he proved he's still got it," McCalmont said. "How many times can you be involved with a horse that's won nine group races? He's the gift that keeps on giving."
Green Impact (Wootton Bassett) shows a tenacious attitude to fend off the Aidan O'Brien challengers and win the @KPMG_Ireland Champions Juvenile Stakes!
The @Jessica_Racing team look to have a very smart prospect 👌#itallcomesdowntothis | @LeopardstownRC | @kateharro1989 pic.twitter.com/r5hwtoZJMP
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 14, 2024
The strange coincidence of Kinross's Group Two triumph at Doncaster came on the same day that Chan's other operation, Jessica Harrington-trainer Green Impact, won this Group Two at Leopardstown. "He's the first horse Chan has bred, so it's great to see him get off the mark and what's in store for the colt," said McCalmont. Green Impact, who hails from Wootton Bassett, has been exceptional through his very short racing career thus far.
Connections are optimistic that this youngster may well produce for them in the Classic season. "He's the first horse Marc has ever bred, and we've always had high hopes for him," said McCalmont. "He won't run again this season, but that was always the plan." We hope he'll strengthen up over the winter and be much stronger next year. He'll probably start in one of the Guineas as a trial to see what his best trip is. As such, the Chan outfit stands on the cusp of another probable success in Paris, and Green Impact is on the cusp of a Classic campaign next year, an enviable position. And as all dust settles, it now shifts to Paris Longchamp as Kinross sets his sights on writing history there again.
