Kirkconnel showed early promise when winning the Bedford Two-Year-Old Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse in May, beating the subsequent 1000 Guineas winner Galeottia, and then running third behind the fillies Kissing Cup and Cheery in the New Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
In the July Stakes at Newmarket on 3 July Kirkconnel started odds-on favourite and was an easy winner, coming home two lengths clear of the filly Golden Blaze.
On his next appearance Goodwood Racecourse on 1 August Kikconnel started 5/6 favourite for the Lavant Stakes and won by a length from Curzon.
Following this performance he was described as a potential Epsom Derby winner.

On 11 October at Newmarket Kirkconnel started 3/1 favourite for the Middle Park Plate but finished fourth behind Speedwell, Keelson and Raconteur.
Two weeks later at the same track Kirconnel finished second to Raconteur in the seven furlong Dewhurst Plate.
Kirkconnel ended the season with earnings of £3,120.

At the end of the year the colt returned to the sales ring and was bought for 5,000 guineas by John Blundell Maple.
Maple moved the horse to the stable of his private trainer Percy Peck and also made a small change in spelling: the colt had previously been known as Kirkconell, but after his acquisition by Maple he was officially renamed Kirkconnel prompting a comment that he was now owned by "a man who knows how to spell".
Kirkconnel showed early promise when winning the Bedford Two-Year-Old Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse in May, beating the subsequent 1000 Guineas winner Galeottia, and then running third behind the fillies Kissing Cup and Cheery in the New Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. In the July Stakes at Newmarket on 3 July Kirkconnel started odds-on favourite and was an easy winner, coming home two lengths clear of the filly Golden Blaze. On his next appearance Goodwood Racecourse on 1 August Kikconnel started 5/6 favourite for the Lavant Stakes and won by a length from Curzon. Following this performance he was described as a potential Epsom Derby winner.
On 11 October at Newmarket Kirkconnel started 3/1 favourite for the Middle Park Plate but finished fourth behind Speedwell, Keelson and Raconteur. Two weeks later at the same track Kirconnel finished second to Raconteur in the seven furlong Dewhurst Plate. Kirkconnel ended the season with earnings of £3,120.
At the end of the year the colt returned to the sales ring and was bought for 5,000 guineas by John Blundell Maple. Maple moved the horse to the stable of his private trainer Percy Peck and also made a small change in spelling: the colt had previously been known as Kirkconell, but after his acquisition by Maple he was officially renamed Kirkconnel prompting a comment that he was now owned by "a man who knows how to spell".
Kirkconnel (horse)