The appetiser before the main event on Tuesday is the Group 2 Lennox Stakes, run over 7f as the third race on the card. Joe Napier looks into the race and provides his 1-2-3 selections.
Kinross regained his title in the race when narrowly justifying his odds-on status a year ago.
KINROSS
(Ralph Beckett/Rossa Ryan)
A two-time winner of this race and multiple Group 1 winner overall, Kinross became a real favourite of Frankie Dettori’s before his semi-retirement to America at the end of 2023. Still in training for Ralph Beckett, he is now one of the veterans of this field, but demonstrated at Newcastle on his return that he still possesses a lot of his ability when runner-up in Group 3 level on return.
He was not quite as able to cope with a 6f Group 1 last time out in the July Cup, and though 7f has always looked his optimum distance, it may now be he needs it to perform at this level. He followers up victory in this last year with another Group success at the distance at York and has sometimes needed a couple of runs before taking centre stage, although younger legs may now surpass him.
ENGLISH OAK
(Ed Walker/James Doyle)
Among the now intensely powerful Wathnan Racing operation’s line-up, English Oak has rocketed to prominence in recent starts, and looks ready for this step up in class. The son of Wootton Bassett began to progress through handicaps as a three-year-old, but has certainly done so at four.
He was second on return to Godolphin’s Noble Dynasty, who reopposes here on significantly better terms, having had to give English Oak over a stone at Newmarket. However, Ed Walker’s charge has since won back-to-back handicaps at Haydock, and then Royal Ascot, improving a stone-and-a-half on RPRs in the process, exactly the amount he was rated behind Noble Dynasty on return. That level of improvement looks maintainable.
NOBLE DYNASTY
(Charlie Appleby/William Buick)
As mentioned above, Noble Dynasty easily held English Oak in his rearview mirror at Newmarket when conceding him over a stone. That form looks outstanding in hindsight, and duly saw him go off as favourite when stepping up to Group 3 level at Newmarket’s July meeting. He justified that with his first success in such company.
He is a six-year-old with only 13 starts under his belt, so there could yet be further improvement to come. It was not a barnstorming success at Newmarket, but he nevertheless got the job done, and while English Oak has evidently improved, it would still take something very dramatic to have occurred within three months to see the Godolphin horse’s form overturned.
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THE FIELD
Lockinge winner Audience disappointed in this a year ago and carries a 3lb penalty here. While he may have improved this season, this looks a tall order, while Pogo, the elder statesman in this field at the age of eight, also likes to go from the front, so gaining an easy lead will not be straightforward. Art Power can also race prominently, though he is interesting upped to 7f in this latter stage of his career.
Sandrine won this as a three-year-old in 2022, and Chicago Critic will look to do the same. He finished well for third in the Jersey Stakes at the Royal meeting at 80/1 and could benefit from a strong gallop here. That form has not yet been tested by the winner, but Tiber Flow, on the other hand, did really well to win a Haydock Group 3 at the start of June when stepping up to 7f, and could also be storming home if they go quickly.
VERDICT
Kinross has always improved for this race, but a third title looks unlikely with some progressive and unexposed types at this level to deal with. English Oak has evidently improved rapidly in his last two starts, but still has over a stone to find with Noble Dynasty for their meeting in May. However, preference overall is for TIBER FLOW, who looked suited by a return up to 7f at Haydock when doing really well to win as he did. This could set up well for a closer such as him and the Haggas yard look to be in good form.
- Tiber Flow
- Noble Dynasty
- English Oak
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