By Sean Cronin
Marc Chan's 5-year-old gelding Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}–Ceilidh House {GB}, by Selkirk) was a neck shy of Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) in last month's G2 Lennox S. at Goodwood and exacted revenge on that rival with a first win since annexing last year's renewal of that contest in Saturday's £400,000 G2 Sky Bet City of York S. on the Knavesmire. Positioned fourth through halfway, the 5-1 chance made smooth headway into contention in the straight and quickened smartly underneath the stands' side rail inside the final furlong to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths from Pogo (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}). Sandrine kept on well to finish 1 1/2 lengths further adrift in third.
“He ought to have won the Lennox, but that's a matter of opinion,” reflected trainer Ralph Beckett. “We thought this race had really set up well for him and so it proved and, as he's got older he's got hardier. He was quite fragile as a young horse, he didn't really come to maturity until he was gelded and then everything started to work out from there. He's definitely not ground dependent any more and that's great. We minded him last year and it worked out for us. We haven't had so many choices this year and he was always going to win from halfway. I'm delighted, he's a very fun horse to have. He might go to the [G3] Park S., I'd drop him back to six in the [G1] Haydock Sprint Cup if it came up soft, but he'll definitely go to the [G1 Prix de la] Foret all being well.”
Kinross, who acquired a 'TDN Rising Star' tag on debut in 2019, is one of his sire's 29 Group-race winners and the leading light for Listed Gillies Fillies' S. victrix Ceilidh House (GB) (Selkirk), herself kin to the dam of G3 Solario S. victor and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains second First Selection (Spa) (Diktat {GB}). Descendants of his multiple stakes-winning third dam Subya (GB) (Night Shift), who also ran second in the G3 Rockfel S., include GI Hollywood Derby second Battle of Hastings (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}), G1 Durban Golden Slipper and G1 Thekwini S. runner-up Felix the Cat (SAf) (Black Minnaloushe) and G1 Premiers Champion S. third Mljet (SAf) (Jet Master {Saf}). Ceilidh House, a daughter of the dual stakes scorer Villa Carlotta (GB) (Rainbow Quest) from the family of G1 Irish Derby-winning sire Law Society (Alleged), has also produced the hithert unraced 2-year-old colt Seahouse (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}).
Saturday, York, Britain
SKY BET CITY OF YORK S.-G2, £400,000, York, 8-20, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:22.97, g/f.
1–KINROSS (GB), 134, g, 5, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Ceilidh House (GB) (SW-Eng), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Villa Carlotta (GB), by Rainbow Quest
3rd Dam: Subya (GB), by Night Shift
'TDN Rising Star' O-Marc Chan; B-Lawn Stud (GB); T-Ralph Beckett; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £226,840. Lifetime Record: 18-5-1-1, $608,918. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pogo (Ire), 134, h, 6, Zebedee (GB)–Cute (GB), by Diktat (GB). (€10,500 Wlg '16 GOFNOV; £32,000 Ylg '17 GOUKPR). O-Gary & Linnet Woodward; B-Thomas Foy (IRE); T-Charles Hills. £86,000.
3–Sandrine (GB), 126, f, 3, Bobby's Kitten–Seychelloise (GB), by Pivotal (GB). O/B-Kirsten Rausing (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £43,040.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1HF, HF. Odds: 5.00, 9.00, 5.00.
Also Ran: Art Power (Ire), Al Suhail (GB), Sacred (GB), Rohaan (Ire), Dr Zempf (GB), Jumby (Ire). Scratched: Brad The Brief (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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