Bentley: Kinross is capable of a Guineas shock
HARRY BENTLEY believes Kinross is capable of providing him with a first Classic success in the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday.
The 27-year-old will renew his partnership with the Ralph Beckett-trained colt at the scene of his emphatic debut victory in October.
Despite Kinross tasting defeat upped to Group One company in the Vertem Futurity Trophy at Newcastle on his final start of last year, Bentley retains plenty of faith in the son of Kingman.
Bentley said: “I can’t wait to get back on him. I’ve sat on him a few times at home and he feels really good. I’m very excited.
“I’ve not had many feel like he did on their debut. He gave me all the feelings that day of a very good horse.
“We’ve put him in the deep end once before as we don’t doubt that the ability is there. We think there is a lot of potential there.”
The Futurity went to the Andrew Balding-trained Kameko who will be a leading contender for the Guineas alongside Charlie Appleby’s precocious Pinatubo.
And while Bentley was disappointed at the time when Kinross was beaten, the jockey has had plenty of time to reflect over the winter and during racing’s lockdown.
A multiple champion jockey in Qatar, Bentley has previously enjoyed Group One success on Limato and his win on Biometric at Royal Ascot last year – the jockey’s first at the flagship meeting
Fancies his mount Kinross to beat hot favourite Pinatubo in the 2,000 Guineas.
– stopped a Frankie Dettori fivetimer.
He believes he now knows what it will take to win a Classic. “At Newcastle he got a big bump off one of the Aidan O’Brien horses and I don’t think people realised how much of a bump it was. That didn’t help us trying to get in the right rhythm,” said Bentley who was delighted to see racing return on Monday, albeit behind closed doors.
“He didn’t get a clear run at a crucial stage and I’m not saying he would have won but he would have been closer. You have to remember that was only his second run and the likes of Kameko were more battle-hardened than he was.”
While Bentley has plenty of respect for odds-on favourite Pinatubo, he is looking forward to taking on the challenge of trying
Harry Bentley on his impressions of Kinross after last season’s Verten Futurity Trophy.
to lower the colours of the dual Group One scorer who will be ridden by his friend and rival William Buick.
He said: “I know Pinatubo is clearly an exceptional talent, but we are all having our first run of the season as three-year-olds and anything can happen from two to three.
“We don’t know if he still has that definite advantage or if we have made up the gap, all I can say is that I’m very happy with Kinross and he is in good form.”
Although Kinross will start this campaign over a mile, Bentley believes he could get further later down the line should connections wish to look at such options.
He said: “At the moment you would say he is a miler as he has got a lot of natural speed, like all the good horses have. In time you might see him over 10 furlongs, but we will learn a lot more about him on Saturday.”
Meanwhile, champion stayer Stradivarius heads the field for Friday’s Coronation Cup at Newmarket.
The race, switched from Epsom, is the first Group One race of the delayed 2020 campaign and part of the Qipco British Champions Series.
Yet, while the John Gosdentrained and Frankie Dettori-ridden Stradivarius has been dominant for each of the past two seasons, last year’s Epsom Derby winner, Anthony Van Dyck, features for Aidan O’Brien.
O’Brien, who has already won the race on a record eight occasions, believes good ground will suit Anthony Van Dyck. Defoe, winner of last year’s renewal, will defend his crown, while two more winners at the highest level – Ghaiyyath and Desert Encounter – will also face the starter.
He gave me all the feeelings that day of a very good horse.