Kinross steps back up in trip for Breeders' Cup Mile

Kinross looks to cap a fine season and take his winning streak to five when he lines up in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland.

Ralph Beckett’s five-year-old has enjoyed a phenomenal season and has looked unstoppable since beginning his victorious run at York in the summer.

A win at Doncaster soon followed and having bagged Group One glory in the Prix de la Foret, he successfully dropped back in trip to double his top-table tally at Ascot in the British Champions Sprint Stakes.

European raiders have a fine record in this race and have taken home the prize at three of the last four Breeders’ Cups. Kinross is part of a strong travelling contingent once again, although connections respect fellow UK-trained runner Modern Games, who heads the betting.

"The horse has got here in magnificent form, he couldn’t have travelled any better and he couldn’t be any better in himself," said Jamie McCalmont, racing manager to owner Marc Chan.

"The course is definitely good to firm, but he has performed on that ground this year. Modern Games is the horse to beat that’s for sure, but we wouldn’t be embarrassed to finish second to him.

"Since Dubai (early 2021) he’s never really run a bad race – even though he finished down the field at Ascot (British Champions Sprint, 2021), he wasn’t beaten that far at Royal Ascot (Platinum Jubilee Stakes, 2022). He was unlucky to get beaten at Goodwood, similar in his first race of this year at Haydock and I’m lucky to be involved with such a horse."

If Kinross is to strike in Kentucky, the five-year-old and his regular partner Frankie Dettori will have to overcome being posted wide in stall 13. However, McCalmont does not have to delve too far into the record books for examples of that being far from a burden