2002: two-year-old season Kris Kin did not appear on a racecourse until October 2002. Ridden by
Johnny Murtagh, he started at
20-1 and made no impression, finishing fifteenth of the twenty-six runners in a
maiden race at
Newmarket. Three weeks later he showed much improved form to win a maiden race at
Doncaster, taking the lead a
furlong from the finish and going clear to win by two and a half
lengths.
2003: three-year-old season Spring On his three-year-old debut, Kris Kin was stepped up significantly in class to contest the
Group Three Dee Stakes, a recognised trial for the
Derby, run at
Chester. His unexceptional two-year-old form led to him being sent off the outsider of the four runners, at odds of 20–1. Hampered in the early stages, and again when attempting to make a challenge, Kris Kin was switched to the outside, where he showed a surprising turn of acceleration to overtake his rivals and win by two lengths from the odds-on favourite, Big Bad Bob. The race had a dramatic aftermath, as Kris Kin veered to the right crossing the line, unseating his jockey
Fergal Lynch, who had been waving his whip to the crowd in celebration. Saeed Suhail's racing manager, the former jockey
Bruce Raymond, commented that "we didn't do such things in my day". Kris Kin had originally been entered for the Derby, but his unpromising early form had persuaded his connections to allow his entry to lapse at one of the "forfeit" stages in October 2002. It was therefore necessary to pay a supplementary fee of £90,000 to re-enter him in the
Classic. Plans were not immediately clear, and Kris Kin was also entered in the
Prix du Jockey Club (the "French Derby") but the supplementary charge was paid, and the colt was added to the Derby field on 2 June 2003, five days before the race.
Summer Two days before the Derby, Kris Kin's participation was placed in doubt, as he suffered a slight leg injury, but he recovered quickly after treatment and was allowed to run. At Epsom, the colt was strongly supported, being backed down from 14–1 to 6–1 on the course, with the money reportedly coming from ordinary members of the public rather than professional gamblers. After the race Michael Stoute praised Fallon's riding, before echoing Raymond's comments after the Dee Stakes by calling Kiris Kin "one of the laziest horses at home I've ever trained." meant that Kris Kin had been off the course for more than seven weeks before his next start, the
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at
Ascot. His home work had not improved- his lack of pace leading one commentator to refer to him as "an attractive piece of still life"- but there was some confidence behind him and he was made 7/2 second favourite. Held up in the early stages by Fallon, Kris Kin again appeared to be under pressure in the race, before staying on strongly. He finished third to
Alamshar and
Sulamani, but it was arguably his best run, as he finished ahead of proven top-class performers such as
Nayef,
Warrsan,
Falbrav,
Millenary and
Grandera.
Autumn In autumn, Kris Kin was aimed at the
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at
Longchamp, and first ran over the course and distance in the
Prix Niel. He stayed on strongly in the straight but again finished third, this time behind
Dalakhani and
Doyen. Stoute felt that the colt would improve from the race, whilst Fallon was reported to be "unhappy" about the tactics of one of the French riders, who had kept him boxed against the rails at a crucial stage. In the Arc, he made little impression, and after being hampered on the turn into the straight, was eased down in the closing stages, finishing eleventh of the thirteen runners behind
Dalakhani. His retirement was announced three days after his run in the Arc. ==Race record==