By Tom Frary
3rd-Newbury, £12,000, Mdn, 5-16, 2yo, 6fT, 1:11.97, gd.
HUMIDITY (GB) (c, 2, Ulysses {Ire}–Sultry {GB}, by Pivotal {GB}), sent off at 6-1 for this often-informative maiden won in 2018 by Advertise, broke smartly to lead under Oisin Murphy. Pressed throughout by the 7-2 favourite Title Role, the homebred hung tough to prevail by a short head from that Too Darn Hot colt who was a 500,000gns Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up purchase last month. “He's a lovely horse and we'll talk with the team and see what they want do,” trainer Andrew Balding said. “He's a horse with a lovely bright future and this six is his minimum. There were nice types in the race and I like the manner in which he did it.” The winner is a full-brother to Holloway Boy, who made an impact himself on debut by winning Royal Ascot's Listed Chesham Stakes three years ago before going on to land the G3 Superior Mile and finish third in the G1 Futurity Trophy and G1 Jebel Hatta. Offered at Tattersalls October Book 2 but bought back for 120,000gns, he is the sixth foal out of the unraced dam who is a half to the listed-placed Secret Venture by Pivotal's son Kyllachy. The third dam is the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes-winning champion Gay Gallanta, who produced the dual Group winner and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains-placed Byron. Also connected to the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud-winning sire Gay Mecene, the dam's yearling filly is by Palace Pier (GB). Sales history: 120,000gns RNA Ylg '24 TATOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $8,621.
O/B-Cheveley Park Stud; T-Andrew Balding.
Great battle at @NewburyRacing!
Humidity comes out on top in a good tussle with Title Role to make a winning debut for @AndrewBalding2! pic.twitter.com/c8Ir575hyq
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 16, 2025
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