Andrew Balding

Glenfinnan (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}) ran out a two-length winner of the eight-furlong British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden S. at Yarmouth on Thursday, and in the process became the 300th winner to earn the €20,000 Tattersalls October Book 1 Bonus. The Mick and Janice Mariscotti colourbearer and Andrew Balding trainee was making his third start. After the win of Glenfinnan, who was a 100,000gns purchase from the draft of Glidawn Stud last year, the Book 1 Bonus has paid £7,125,000 to owners. Balding was winning his 16th Tattersalls October Book...

Put in his place when five-lengths second to TDN Rising Star Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in Salisbury's Listed Stonehenge S. over a mile last time Aug. 19, Jeff Smith's Stormbuster (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}--Barshiba {Ire}, by Barathea {Ire}) took a step forward on Friday to dominate Newbury's storied Haynes, Hanson & Clark Conditions S. Breaking well under David Probert to lead his three rivals, the 6-1 shot put another of Godolphin's TDN Rising Stars Highbank (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) into the red approaching two out and powered through the...

Racing returned to Britain's shores Sunday as Doncaster's rescheduled G2 Coral Champagne S. initiated a barrage of non-stop European stakes action with Juddmonte's 550,000gns Tattersalls December foal Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Suelita {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) prevailing in a three-runner affair to add to his victory over the reopposing Indestructible (Ire) (Kodiac {Ire}) in last month's G3 Acomb S. at York. The May-foaled chestnut had earlier backed up a June 30 debut fifth at Newbury with a July 15 graduation back there, accounting for Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega...

Outstanding four-time Group 1 winner Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never--Plying, by Hard Spun) will be offered at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale which takes place from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1. Selected for the new Sceptre Session on Tuesday, Nov. 29, the Churchtown House Stud-bred promises to be amongst the highlights of the 2022 global bloodstock sales calendar. Owned by Jeff Smith, the €40,000 Goffs November Foal Sale graduate won the G1 Cheveley Park S. as a juvenile, the G1 Sussex S. and G1 Coronation S. at three before showing...

Four-time Group 1 winner Alcohol Free (Ire) has been ruled out of Saturday's G1 Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock with a minor injury. A winner at the top level at two, three and four, the Andrew Balding-trained filly required stitches for a cut in an "awkward place" and looks likely to be sidelined for around ten days. "Unfortunately Alcohol Free has sustained what we hope is a minor injury, but it is significant enough to rule her out of the Sprint Cup," reported Balding. "She's got a cut which requires...

Juddmonte's 550,000gns Tattersalls December foal Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Suelita {GB}, by Dutch Art {GB}) bettered a June 30 debut fifth going six furlongs at Newbury with a July 15  breakthrough upped to seven back there last time and continued on an upward trajectory with a game victory in Wednesday's G3 Tattersalls Acomb S. at York. The 7-2 second favourite settled into a comfortable rhythm in second after the early exchanges and inched to the front at halfway. Coming under pressure approaching the quarter-mile marker, he was far from undone when...

An exciting career awaits in Australia but, before Derby runner-up Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}) joins Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott down under, he will be prepared by George Boughey for an ambitious tilt at the St Leger at Doncaster.  Trained by Andrew Balding to split Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at Epsom, Hoo Ya Mal was subsequently snapped up by his new connections for a whopping £1.2million at the Goffs London Sale.  While races like the Melbourne Cup are what Hoo Ya Mal...

She wasn't supposed to like fast ground, but Jeff Smith's G1 Coronation S. and G1 Sussex S. heroine Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) skipped the light fantastic on Newmarket's balmy July Course to stamp her class on Saturday's feature G1 Darley July Cup. Back to this six-furlong trip for the first time since winning the G1 Cheveley Park S. as a juvenile when under three-lengths ninth in Royal Ascot's G1 Platinum Jubilee S., the 14-1 shot was drawn in the right place with that race's winner Naval Crown (GB)...

Ahmad Al Shaikh's Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}) has been supplemented for £15,000 to the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot next Friday. Trained by Andrew Balding , the colt was second last out in the G1 Cazoo Derby In Memory Of Lester Piggott on June 4. Off the mark at second asking at York in August, he was second in Doncaster's Listed Flying Scotsman S. a month later and was shelved. He resumed from winter quarters with a third in the G3 Craven S. behind subsequent...

MyRacehorse, a U.S.-based racehorse micro-share ownership operator, is expanding to the UK and Ireland with three 2-year-olds, including a 450,000gns Dubawi (Ire) colt purchased out of the Tattersalls October Book 1 Yearling Sale. Out of J Wonder (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), he is trained by Andrew Balding. John and Thady Gosden have a $300,000 Keeneland September filly by Mendelssohn for the GI Kentucky Derby/GI Breeders' Cup Classic-winning organisation. The trio is rounded out by a Zoffany (Ire) filly in the yard of Joseph O'Brien. She was purchased for €170,000 at Goffs Orby....

In racing, as in life, it's always good to have a dream, and for owner Ahmad Al Shaikh, it's a simple one. "It has always been my dream to win the Derby," says the Dubaian businessman.  To that end, he is not doing too badly, especially not for an owner with a relatively small string of horses. Al Shaikh has been represented in the last two Derbys, with the 2020 runner-up Khalifa Sat (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}), and last year by the G3 Chester Vase winner Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot...

Kirsten Rausing's Group 2 winner Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) will make her 2022 debut in the 1600-metre G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 1. A winner at first asking over the Kempton all-weather in May of 2021, the daughter of Seychelloise (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) followed up with a score in the G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot, prior to capturing the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. back at HQ in July. Second in the G2 Lowther S. at York on Aug. 19, the consistent filly was third in...