Kipps

Coltrane was a seriously impressive winner of the Melrose Handicap, but Kipps ran a fine race to finish third behind him. Held up well back in the field by Ryan Moore behind a fast pace set by Punctuation, he Kipps travelled well into the home straight. Well back in the field at that stage, he picked up well on the far side, and it looked like he was going to be involved before his run flattened out a little from the furlong pole. Even so, he kept on well enough to take third place, with a nice break back to the rest.

This was another step forward by Hughie Morrison’s horse, on his first run over a mile and six furlongs. Second to subsequent Geoffrey Freer Stakes winner Hukum in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot, when he had subsequent Glasgow Stakes winner Subjectivist behind him in third, he finished fourth in a good 10-furlong handicap at Newmarket on his next run, when he raced in rear and towards the far side, neither of which was ideal on the day. You couldn’t say that he didn’t stay a mile and six furlongs here, but it may be that a mile and a half will prove to be his optimum. The handicapper raised him by just 1lb for this to a mark of 89, which is a mark that should be well within range. He has raced just six times in his life, so he has the scope to continue progressing.

York, 22^nd August 2020