Step Up To 6f Will Suit Kinks At Deauville

I was absolutely delighted with Dakota Gold’s run in the Great St.Wilfrid at Ripon. He drifted out to 33s before the off but he broke well and travelled nicely throughout the race on the far side. Unfortunately, the stand’s side was the place to be but Dakota Gold finished strongly to grab 2nd and show that 6f is his optimum trip right now. He might be alright over a stiff 5f in a big field if they went a strong early pace, but if it was up to me I would stick to 6f for the moment with him. He definitely has a nice pot in him at some stage.
 

Kinks could flourish over an extra furlong.

Our last foray to France ended in defeat with Romanised, although I remain convinced that he could have placed if ridden differently. I am heading back to Deauville on Sunday for more punishment, and I think Kinks looks a cracking each way bet returned to easy ground and stepped up to 6f for the first time in his career in the Group 1 Prix Morny at 14.45. The son of Sixties Icon was an unlucky loser last time in my opinion, and he hasn’t had a clear run for his last three starts.

At Sandown he was denied a clear run on a couple of occasions in the Listed National Stakes (5f gd/fm) but he stayed on well in the closing stages to be beaten just under 3L for the win. It was a similar story at Royal Ascot where Charles Bishop had to momentarily stop riding at a crucial time and after that it was always going to be hard to reach the principals. However, he kept on well and was only beaten 3L at the finish, closing all the way to the line.

Last time out in the Super Sprint, again over 5f on rattling ground, Joe Fanning had to sit and suffer on Kinks who was arguably travelling best at the 2f pole. When the gap finally came Fanning got to work and Kinks quickened up well, staying on strongly all the way to the line to grab 3rd, beaten less than a length for the win. He was doing all his best work at the finish and I think the 6f course at Deauville is really going to suit, as will the easy ground.

Kinks produced possibly one of his most impressive displays on his sole start on an easy surface, beating Broken Spear by over 2L. He made all that day and kept on strongly, but he is likely to be ridden more patiently at Deauville. Kinks had beaten Tin Hat by a head at Bath on quick ground on his previous start, again shaping as if further would suit. His pedigree suggests that 6f should be right up his street too.

Mick Channon has a good record when sending horses over to Deauville. He has had 36 runners with 9 places and 6 winners, not a bad strike rate at all. Charles Bishop is back aboard Kinks on Sunday and hopefully he finds a clear passage this time. I think there are doubts about a few of the more fancied horses on soft ground, and at odds of 33/1 I think Kinks could be the one to take advantage if the favourites falter. He is well worth chancing each way at that price.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: 2.45 DEAUVILLE-KINKS E/W @ 33/1