Lennox Stakes Tips: English Oak Can Chop Down Competition

One of the big races to kick off Glorious Goodwood on Day One, Tuesday, is the Lennox Stakes. A field of eight high class horses will clash for Group 3 glory, with some seven furlong specialists as well as a few stepping both up and down in trip. Billy Grimshaw has penned a preview for us here...

There have been few that have supported Kinross as much as this humble scribe, however I think my long standing determination to back him come rain or shine is finally at an end. He has won this race in two of the last three years, with 2021 and 2023 gold medals and a silver in 2022. Clearly, then, he relishes this test but I think there have been signs of late that his star is waning.

He has in the past thrown in the odd stinker over six furlongs and then bounced back right after when reverting to his favoured trip of seven, however the lifelessness of his July Cup flop sparked alarm bells for me and with the legend now a seven year old and perhaps on the downgrade, I'll be looking elsewhere.

There are plenty of less exposed types in here, but one who has danced even more dances than Kinross is Pogo. Charlie Hills' gelding has run second in this race in the past but it seems as though his best is behind him and I'd be disappointed were there a few not better than him in 2024. Audience has a squeak and I do think he'll be suited by this drop in trip, but there is a suspicion he was flattered earlier in the season in his big Lockinge win. If this proves to be true and he has to contend with the Group 1 winning penalty, he'll find this tough.

Art Power is not for me over this trip and on probable dry ground, for all he is a smashing operator, but at a similar price I'd be much more keen on Chicago Critic at double figures each-way after his length third to Haatem at Royal Ascot. That will work out as smart form in my opinion and I wouldn't be surprised to see him go off a lot shorter. 

This inkling is a clue into my thinking about this race, I fancy the less exposed runners to triumph over the veterans. As much as Chicago Critic has his chance, I do think that the key formline to keep an eye on is the one that encompasses Noble Dynasty and ENGLISH OAK.

These two are priced up both around the 10/3 mark at the time of writing, and on bare form plenty will prefer the Godolphin runner Noble Dynasty after he beat English Oak at Newmarket earlier in the year. I'm in Ed Walker's colt's camp, however, as I was simply blown away by the style of his Buckingham Palace Stakes win at Royal Ascot.

The way he cruised through the race and powered away from the field to win by an ever lengthening three lengths was a sight to behold and I'm confident he can turn the tables on the six year old, who could've peaked earlier in the season in comparison to Walker's four year old who is surely still on the upgrade. Backing the two in a reverse forecast could be a smart play but I'm all over English Oak for win purposes.