'He's in the right shape' - Kinross back in search of first Group 1 victory

Sunday: 5.00 LongchampQatar Prix de la Foret Presente par Education Above All (Group 1) | 7f | 3yo+ | Sky

Kinross ran the quickest split of the race in this last year despite only finishing fourth, and is back for another crack having improved significantly since.

His last two wins in the City of York and the Park Stakes at Doncaster, both Group 2 races, were good enough for Racing Post Ratings of 121 and 122 respectively.

Those are Group 1-winning figures and Kinross loves testing ground, so the stars appear to have aligned for him to land his first success at the top level. The only worry is his draw in stall nine, which is wider than ideal and the same as when he was beaten last season.

Japanese representative Entscheiden finished a place ahead of Kinross last season and from an even worse draw in stall 16. This time he has fared much better, coming from four, but he hasn't reached the same level in Japan recently, so it remains to be seen if he is in the same form.

Tenebrism comes from stall one and a low draw can often be an advantage. The return to seven furlongs looks ideal for this filly, who has been stretched by a mile on her last two starts in Group 1s.

Her two highest RPRs have been achieved over short of that trip, including when winning the Cheveley Park in a good time last season. That gives her the best Topspeed figure in the field.

New Energy and Sandrine have both found Kinross too strong on recent starts and need to step up, so the biggest danger to the favourite might be course-and-distance scorer Fang.

He landed the trial for this race, the Prix du Pin, last month and is by a sire whose progeny have a good record at Longchamp. A £1 bet on all of Goken's representatives at this track in the last five seasons would have made a profit of £33.90, thanks to an 18 per cent strike-rate.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

Soft ground to suit Sandrine

Off the back of a pair of Group 2 wins, Ralph Beckett is expecting a better display from Kinross than he managed when fourth in this race last year.

"He's not got a great draw [stall nine], but he's in good shape and will enjoy the ground," the trainer said of his five-year-old, who is the mount of Frankie Dettori.

"He's in the right shape for the task ahead, that's for sure. It didn't quite go to plan last year, but I'm sure it will this time."

Fellow visitors Sandrine and Tenebrism are among those looking to end the poor recent record of three-year-olds in the Foret, with Make Believe in 2015 the last winner from that age group.

The Andrew Balding-trained Sandrine has met Kinross on her last two starts, beating that rival in the Lennox before finishing third in the City of York. She won last year's Albany on heavy ground and jockey David Probert believes the softer surface should play to her strengths.

"The ground is going to help her and a lot of them probably won't handle it as well as she has," Probert said. "We're up against Kinross again and we have to turn around the form, but she's in great order. Kinross probably looked a bit unlucky in the Lennox, but she was a clear winner that day.

"I'm sure on this type of ground she'll give him a bit more of a race. She deserves a Group 1 and hopefully this will be the day."

What they say

Sheila Lavery, trainer of New Energy
He's improving all the time and we're delighted with the draw [stall three].

Mikel Delzangles, trainer of Mangoustine
The draw [stall ten] is not an advantage but she is well and the ground will be fine. She'll need to repeat her form from the Poule d'Essai to be involved.

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Tenebrism
I think seven furlongs is her trip and she handles ease in the ground. She's in good form and has a nice draw [stall one]. We've been very happy with her work of late, she's been doing everything lovely.
Reporting by Andrew Dietz

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