Watch all the Champions Day action from Ascot live on Sky Sports Racing from 1pm on Saturday, with the first race at 1.35pm and the Balmoral Handicap at 4.40pm
Friday 18 October 2019 19:09, UK
David Barron is taking a chance that Kynren can overcome a quick turnaround when he tries to win at Ascot for the second time this month, in the Balmoral Handicap.
The consistent five-year-old ended a frustrating run of near misses, going back just over two years, when taking a valuable handicap over seven furlongs at the Berkshire course a fortnight ago.
Ordinarily, Barron would not race him again so soon, but he is prepared to do so on Saturday because it will be Kynren's final outing of 2019.
"Obviously he likes the course, he likes the ground, and it seems he has a decent draw (19)," said the Thirsk trainer.
"The negative is we're coming at it fairly quickly.
"It's only two weeks since he won down there, and we have gone quicker than I would have liked ideally, but it will be his last run of the year - so we're taking our chance."
Barron also saddles Clon Coulis, who was beaten just a nose by Afaak in the Hunt Cup at the Royal meeting.
"She's back on the same mark when she was second in the Hunt Cup," he said.
"She also likes the track, so the positives are there, but the negative is I don't know whether she will handle the ground.
"That June ground was a lot different to what this will be. We're hopeful, anyway."
Lord North is likely to enjoy plenty of support, thanks to his convincing victory in the Cambridgeshire.
The John Gosden-trained three-year-old has been given a 12lb rise for that success, making him joint top-weight with Kynren and Flaming Spear in the one-mile handicap that will bring Qipco British Champions Day to a close.
"This is Lord North's last chance in a big handicap, so we will give it a go," said Gosden.
The Newmarket trainer has a useful second string in Kick On, who began the campaign with victory in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket in April and defeated Accidental Agent in the Group Three Sovereign Stakes at Salisbury in August on his latest start.
"Kick On won a Group Three last time out, and he's a real genuine horse who deserves to run in a race like this," said Gosden.
Aidan O'Brien is left to rely on the lightly-raced Amedeo Modigliani after having to rule out Dunkirk Harbour, who spiked a temperature.
"Amedeo has just had the one run back since a break when he ran in a Listed race in Cork," said the Ballydoyle handler of his one-time Derby hopeful.
"He ran a nice race, and we think he'll step forward from it.
"We always thought he was a classy horse."
Dean Ivory is worried the stiff mile in the testing conditions could catch Flaming Spear out.
"I think the mile might be a bit too far for him on this ground," said the Radlett trainer.
"I'm pleased with him, the way he's been working, and he's been lightly-raced."
Ralph Beckett is not perturbed by heavy ground for his two runners, Mitchum Swagger and Biometric.
He said: "Mitchum Swagger will enjoy the ground very much. It can't rain enough for him, and he had a nice warm up run at Redcar a fortnight ago.
"Biometric obviously won the Britannia on slow ground, so it shouldn't be too much of a drama for him either."
