News from Kimpton Down Stables

Diary 12/8/21

R Beckett news

Royal Ascot was memorable in that we trained a winner for Juddmonte; Surefire won the King George V handicap under Hector Crouch. It was a sterling effort for one so inexperienced (it was only his fifth start), and a great day for all of us. He was part sold subsequently, and continues his career in Australia.

Seattle King made a promising start to his career at Salisbury late on in June, the homebred son of Kingman owned by Jeff Smith got the hang of things at halfway and ended up being well on top at the line. He goes up in class on Saturday in the Washington Singer at Newbury in what looks a potentially very strong renewal. Meu Amor gave us a double on the day by winning the Listed Eternal Stakes at Carlisle, having gained some valuable black type at two, it was satisfying to win one.

Aesthete won at Chester and was then subsequently sold to race on in Australia. While Apollinaire finally got his head in front three years after winning on debut, before he too was sold at Tattersalls. Patient Dream continued his rise- up the Handicap and gave us our 8th and final winner of June.

July started with a string of frustrating placed efforts. But YesYes carried a penalty and remained unbeaten at Lingfield, setting up a tilt at the Listed Chalice later in the month. She ran a very solid race in 4th and remains a filly of significant promise when she gets juice in the ground. She holds some exciting Autumn targets and should be even better at four. Prosperous Voyage gave us another 2yo winner by beating the colts at Epsom, and then ran a solid race again at Chester recently, a race in which she can be regarded an unlucky loser. She to can hopefully keep improving into the Autumn and make up into a stakes filly before the end of the year.

Aleas went north to Hamilton , took out the Listed Glasgow Stakes and justified his owner’s decision to keep him in training with us this year. He’s proved himself a versatile gelding this year having won over a range of trips and ground conditions. Declared Interest put her unlucky 4th at Royal Ascot well behind her and bossed a valuable filles handicap from the front at Newbury, although she then came up short in the Valiant recently, a step up in trip could be on the cards now and she remains an unexposed filly over further.

Star Of Orion was another to improve plenty from Royal Ascot and he took out a decent handicap at Newmarket, before backing up a week later in the International Stakes where he just came up short in second, it was a huge effort. Daiquiri Francais, Fuente Ovejuna and Helvetique gave us three more 2yo winners, the former followed up at Windsor last Monday night under a penalty and looks promising. Fleurman won in a canter at Salisbury, and teed himself up for a crack at the Melrose next week at York, (together with Oman) another horse for the Lucra Partnership that looks set to reward his partners.

The opening day of the Qatar Goodwood festival gave us a memorable Group 2 double for owner Marc Chan. Angel Bleu won the Vintage having run second, 72 hours earlier at Ascot in the Listed Winkfield, and then Kinross won the Lennox beating a solid field. Angel Bleu could head to Ireland for the Group 1 National Stakes and Kinross has since run back in Maurice De Gheest with credit in 5th, his long- term aim being the Group 1 Prix Foret on Arc weekend.

Having started it by hitting the board, we finished July with a pleasing 14 winners for the month, but perhaps our most promising two year old winners came in early August with 2yos Westover and Girl on Film winning on debut at Sandown and Newmarket.