SHEIKH Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum’s home-bred Kinaan (Aus) has ‘stayer’ written all over him.
Kinaan had showed marked improvement in his first start over ground midway through November, finishing second over 2450m – he built on that to get his first win out the way in a MR70 Handicap over 2400m at the Vaal on Tuesday.
Jockey Anthony Delpech said Kinaan, five lengths off them, was travelling so well halfway down the home straight that he had them all taped.
Kinaan didn’t quite know what to do, but won well anyway. (JC Photos).
His mount came charging through with 400m to run, shifted out and then ducked sharply in, but regained his momentum and overwhelmed his competition, winning by just over three lengths.
“I had to change my stick when Kinaan ducked to the rail and I kept riding him because Andrew Fortune was following me on Top Shot and I didn’t know how far they were behind me,”” said Delpech.
“Kinaan is a big baby, he didn’t know what to do when he came to the front but the more mature, the better he’ll get. He won a nice race, he’s a lovely little horse.”
Assistant Clayton Matthee commented: “We’ll pick out a couple of races for him now. He’’s a very well bred horse and he won well against winners today, he was running away at the end.”
Kinaan is a three-year-old colt by Galileo, and presumably named after jockey Mick Kinane (often pronounced Ki-Naan), who partnered the former European great to five of his six wins.
