'He's got so many gears' - belated festival success for Rossa Ryan on Kinross
Rossa Ryan was forced to sit on the sidelines during Royal Ascot but did not have to wait long for a festival winner as Kinross narrowly denied Creative Force in a thrilling finish to the Lennox Stakes.
The jockey, who broke his collarbone in a fall on May 26 and missed the royal meeting after an operation to treat appendicitis, guided home the four-year-old to complete a big-race double for Ralph Beckett and owner Marc Chan, who also landed the Vintage Stakes.
Watch Kinross win the Unibet Lennox Stakes
"I was at Royal Ascot and it was hard to watch but I went down to see all the horses," said Ryan. "Adam Kirby came up to me and said 'listen kid these things happen for a reason' and he showed that by winning the Derby. I was lucky to get back as quickly as I did and win the Railway Stakes at the Curragh last month with Go Bears Go."
Kinross was cut to 14-1 (from 20) for the Betfair Sprint Cup after winning by a neck from Creative Force, with Happy Power placing third.
"I had loads of horse under me and luckily the gaps came," said Ryan. "If I didn't get a gap, I would have been one of the unluckiest dudes. Thankfully one came and Kinross was really gutsy for me.
"I think he is ground dependent and he has an unbelievable turn of foot on this kind of ground. When it falls it falls perfectly for him and he's really suited by Goodwood, where you're always turning and facing problems. He's got so many gears that he can get out of them."
Kinross, winner of this year's John Of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock, may be aimed at the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp in October and his trainer told Racing TV: "Sticking to this ground is a good idea. The formbook doesn't lie and his mother was very good on softer ground.
"We'll definitely go back up in grade. He's in the Prix Maurice de Gheest and I always felt the Foret would suit him well after his victory in the John Of Gaunt, and we'll work back from there."
Read more on Glorious Goodwood:
First Group 1 for Alan King as Trueshan relishes conditions in Goodwood Cup
Hollie Doyle stars on opening day of Glorious Goodwood with 122-1 treble
'Horses make a fool of you' – Angel Bleu makes quick reappearance a winning one
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Published on 27 July 2021inReports
Last updated 08:56, 28 July 2021
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