Andrew Balding

Mick and Janice Mariscotti's ultra-consistent 6-year-old gelding Coltrane (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}--Promise Me {Ire}, by Montjeu {Ire}) settled for placings in this term's G1 Gold Cup and G1 Goodwood Cup and exacted revenge on Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Quickthorn (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) with a determined effort in Friday's G2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup at York. Coltrane, a 14-length runner-up in this marathon contest last year, had risen through the staying ranks to notch victories in last term's G2 Doncaster Cup and this term's G3 Sagaro S. and raced...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Insights features TDN Rising Star Arabic Legend.   15.20 Salisbury, Listed, £40,000, 2yo, 8fT ARABIC LEGEND (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) lines up for this Listed Irish Stallion Farms EBF Stonehenge S. with a reputation to enhance, having earned TDN Rising Star status on his debut at Newmarket's July Festival....

G2 Coventry S. hero Berkshire Shadow (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) has been purchased by Australian Bloodstock and will be trained in Australia by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. The gelding was trained by Andrew Balding for Berkshire Parts & Panels, Ltd. No1 Fanclub. He won the Listed Lady Wulfruna S. in March and the All-Weather Mile Championships Conditions S. this year, and was also third in the G1 Lockinge S. He reported home fifth in the G1 Queen Anne S. and, in his final start on English soil, ran sixth...

Newmarket's Weatherbys British EBF Maiden S. is one of those key races that can uncover a class act and Friday's renewal of the seven-furlong July Festival test may have witnessed another as Arabic Legend (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Sheikha Reika {Fr}, by Shamardal) earned a TDN Rising Star tag. Withdrawn from his intended start at Doncaster last month after becoming upset in the stalls, the second foal out of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's GI E.P.Taylor S. heroine was always travelling strongly on the wing with Rob Hornby trying to contain him...

There must be something in the air at Haydock this month as Opulence Thoroughbreds and Teme Valley's newcomer Purosangue (GB) (Aclaim {Ire}--Avon Breeze {GB}, by Avonbridge {GB}) became the second TDN Rising Star on Thursday's evening fixture and the third in the last three meetings at the Merseyside venue. Unleashed by Andrew Balding having brought enough attention at April's Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale to fetch £125,000, the 5-1 shot proved a handful for Ray Dawson going to post and in the early stages before establishing a lead before halfway in...

International bloodstock agent Alastair Donald, who purchased Thursday's G2 Dante S. winner The Foxes  (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) on behalf of the King Power team, is backing the colt to get the Derby trip at Epsom.  The Foxes was cut into a general 8-1 chance for Derby glory after winning the key trial at York for trainer Andrew Balding and the in-form jockey Oisin Murphy.  He hails from a family the connections know well, given the half-brother Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}) carried the blue and white silks of King Power with...

There was as much uncertainty as to what would start favourite for Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. than what would emerge on top in York's time-honoured Derby trial, but in the end it was one of the benchmark horses The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}--Tanaghum {GB}, by Darshaan {GB}) who held the bragging rights. King Power Racing's G2 Royal Lodge S. winner had been undone by Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in the G3 Craven S. at Newmarket last month but appreciated this step up to an extended 10...

Juddmonte's Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) has emerged from his win in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas in good order, and a start in the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot is his next target, according to the organisation's racing manager Barry Mahon. "He's taken it well, he's good," said Mahon. "Andrew [Balding, trainer] was happy with him when I spoke to him yesterday. He said he was quite tired on Sunday, but he said yesterday morning he was in good form again. "The ground was very soft, yet...

It's a heady time of year to be on Newmarket Heath of a Saturday morning. You can tell by the convoy of smart cars when one of the big strings is about to arrive at the Al Bahathri, with Guineas weekend providing the perfect opportunity for owners to watch their horses work.  This past Saturday, either 2,000 Guineas day, Kentucky Derby day, or Coronation day, depending on your persuasion, was no exception. With the car park double-stacked and trainers and jockeys all about, Joe Foley, waiting for the off with...

Persistent rain in the lead-up to Saturday's G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas turned the ground to soft at Newmarket and while several of the race's big names floundered, Juddmonte's ultra-professional Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Suelita {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) stayed straight and true to win with authority. Providing Frankie Dettori with the ultimate final ride in the mile Classic, the Andrew Balding-trained 7-2 second favourite tracked TDN Rising Star Hi Royal (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) up the centre and as that 125-1 shot began to veer left heading into the dip and...

Group 1 winner Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who races for Juddmonte, is reportedly in good order ahead of a start in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas on Saturday, according to trainer Andrew Balding. The colt, who dislodged Frankie Dettori at the start of the G3 Craven S. before completing a circuit of the course, worked "extremely well" on Saturday, Balding noted. "We will only know on Saturday what we missed out on at Newbury and the benefits of having a run as obviously it would have been far more of...

Group winner The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), second in the G3 Craven S. to Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) last month, is likely for the G2 Dante S. at York mid-month, according to jockey Oisin Murphy. The King Power runner secured Newmarket's G2 Royal Lodge S. in September, and he will be trying the 10-furlong distance for the first time at York. "He's a lovely horse," said Murphy, who rode the colt in the Craven at Newmarket. "In hindsight I wish I had just followed Indestructible a bit longer. "We felt...