Kynren

Kynren has had lots of chances, he doesn’t win as often as his talent suggests he should, and he found one too good again in the one-mile handicap in Waarif. Well-backed beforehand, David Barron’s horse was niggled along as they rounded the home turn, and he came under pressure early in the home straight. He stayed on well for pressure and, while it never really looked like he was going to get to the winner, who was winning this race for the second time, he stayed on well to run him to a half a length.

The Clodovil gelding is expensive to follow, but he is talented. He has now finished in the first five in eight of his last nine races without winning, and the handicapper hasn’t relented as a result. That said, now may be the time to get him on side as we move into the autumn and as his losing record gets longer. He hasn’t won now in 12 runs since September 2017.

He goes well on good to soft ground, but he is at his best on soft. His record on soft ground reads 11355, the 5s recorded in the Balmoral Handicap at Ascot on Champions Day, and in the Royal Hunt Cup. Some of his fans may be giving up on him now after this defeat, he was sent off as 7/4 favourite, and that may just be the last straw for many, so he may be under-bet next time, and he will be of interest again when the ground softens. He is a horse about whom you should be happier taking a biggish price in a strong race than a shortish price in a weaker race.

Ayr, 21^st September 2019