Andrew Balding | Horse Racing Free Tips

Berkshire Boys Hit The Big Time

ASCOT,UK—It was a dream that started with the purchase of two relatively inexpensive yearling fillies at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale of 2013.

Berkshire Honey (GB) (Sakhee's Secret {GB}) never raced and Berkshire Beauty (GB) (Aqlaam {GB}) eventually won over a mile at Southwell in January as a 4-year-old. Hardly the stuff of dreams at this stage, but standing in the winner's enclosure on a sundrenched day at Royal Ascot is something quite different.

A little over seven years on from their first foray into the racing world, that's where Paul and Lisa Spickett found themselves on Tuesday thanks to the Coventry S. winner Berskhire Shadow (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}).

The colt's purchase from one of the best breeders in Britain, Cheveley Park Stud, may have marked a step up in quality, but by Book 1 standards, his 40,000gns price tag was still fairly modest. It's safe to say, however, that the grandson of Ballymacoll Stud's outstanding racemare Islington (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) is worth considerably more than that now, and that the Spicketts will likely be on the receiving end of enquiring phone calls from several stallion masters.

“I'm ecstatic,” said Paul Spickett after the Andrew Balding-trained Berkshire Shadow extended his record to two wins from two starts–both in his owners' home county of Berkshire. “This is a childhood dream come true. It's just a magical day.”

He added, “The vibes were that we were going to win but we were up against a lot of good horses. Shadow didn't put a foot wrong [on debut] at Newbury; we wanted to run him again but we couldn't, so Andrew said 'let's just go straight to Ascot and, win or lose, we've got a good 3-year-old'.”

Berkshire Shadow is the second runner at Royal Ascot for the Spicketts after Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}), who was runner-up in the G2 Queen's Vase when the meeting was held behind closed doors last year. He then went on to fill the same spot in the St Leger.

“We had our first Royal Ascot runner last year so we decided to get all dressed up at home as we couldn't come racing, and we had a second in the Queen's Vase which was amazing, but this is phenomenal,” said Spickett, who runs his horses in the name of his company Berkshire Parts and Panels.

“I work hard with all my guys on the shop floor so when I get the odd hour off I put the odd little wager on and I have just been looking forward to coming racing with my wife and enjoying the day.”

Spickett credits his trainer's mother, the notably good breeder Emma Balding of Kingsclere Stud, for helping him with getting started on the racing and breeding front.

He continued, “I had a very good mentor, which was Andrew's mum, who told me in no uncertain terms not to spend too much money. So I took that on board, although I was originally only supposed to buy one horse and I came back with two. The great thing about today is that Berkshire Shadow was bought for my wife. She loves greys and she wanted to get back into racing and we couldn't have hoped for a better day.”

The owner has kept his first two racehorses and he can now add breeder to his list of racing interests.

“I still have them both as broodmares and they board with Jenny Norris. Honey has bred [dual winner] Jojo Rabbit (GB), which has been brilliant, and everything Beauty breeds is just so pretty I almost don't care about the racing. I take my grand-daughter Ophelia over to visit the mares and foals and she loves to go to see them so it's something nice for us all to do as a family. I'd like to step up the breeding a little bit and might look for a nice mare.”

Spickett has all his horses in training at Kingsclere with Balding, including the returning Berkshire Rocco, who was a late withdrawal with a minor injury on the morning of the Dubai Gold Cup in March.

“Rocco is back in training and we hope to see him back racing in the autumn,” he reported. “The Baldings are an amazing family. I'm just a working-class boy and they took me on board as I am and it has been fantastic. I feel really blessed.”

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29 Remain in Cazoo Derby Reckoning

Fifty years on from Mill Reef (Never Bend)'s victory in the Blue Riband at Epsom Downs, 29 horses have stood their ground after the latest scratching stage for the 2021 G1 Cazoo Derby on June 5.

G3 Chester Vase scorer Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) is doing well ahead of the Blue Riband. His best showing as a juvenile was a third in the G2 Veuve Clicquot Vintage S. and he was fourth in his seasonal opener-the Apr. 13 Listed bet365 Feilden S. at HQ.

Andrew Balding, the son of trainer Ian Balding who trained Mill Reef, said, “The Derby is still the plan for Youth Spirit. He seems fine after his run at Chester, he hasn't done a lot since but he's come out of the race well.

“The key thing to find out that day was whether he stayed the trip and he saw it out well. He'll go there with no stamina doubts, which there will be about some of the field and that's got to be to his advantage but it's a much stronger race than the Chester Vase was so he's got to up his game again.

“I don't think that the track will faze him. He's a very well balanced horse and he handled Chester well so he shouldn't have a problem with Epsom Downs. He's a different horse to [2020 Derby runner-up] Khalifa Sat, but both are very talented and if we can get the same result as last year with Youth Spirit we'd be delighted.

“It's great for the owner [Ahmad Al Shaikh] to have another contender for the race. He's a big supporter of racing and he's got plenty of horses in training with many yards so it's lovely for him to have another candidate for the Epsom Derby.

“It's the most important race of the year for any Flat trainer I think and to have a horse good enough to run in it is an achievement in itself–anything else on the day would be a massive bonus.”

There is, of course, a strong Irish presence in the Derby entries, with 14 horses coming over from the Emerald Isle. Aidan O'Brien, who is seeking a record-extending ninth victory in the 1 1/2-mile Classic, has an octet entered at this stage including current ante-post favourite Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the impressive six-length winner of the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial. One-time Derby favourite, G2 Beresford S. victor High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) also enters after running third in the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. at York earlier this month. Others representing the Coolmore partners include French Group 1 winner Van Gogh (American Pharoah) and G3 Chester Vase S. second Sandhurst (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Jim Bolger's Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), the 2020 G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. victor and Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial fourth, also stands his ground.

Godolphin currently has a quartet of Derby aspirants, among them the undefeated Dante winner Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), group winner and Group 1 placed One Ruler (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the group-placed Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

Group 1 winner Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), a winner of the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and fifth in the Dante, represents Mark Johnston. Roger Varian fields listed winners El Drama (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and Third Realm (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}, while Richard Hannon will send G3 Betway Solario S. winner Etonian (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}). Listed Newmarket S. winner Mohaafeth (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) steps forward for William Haggas. Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), successful in the G3 Zetland S. last October, is one of two for trainer Martyn Meade.

'TDN Rising Star' John Leeper (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will also take part in the Epsom Classic. The Ed Dulop trainee broke his maiden at the second time of asking in a Newcastle novice on Apr. 30 and saluted in the Listed Betway Fairway S. at Newmarket on May 15. (Click here for a TDN video feature by Emma Berry).

The next confirmation stage is Monday, May 31st, while there is a final chance to enter with a supplementary fee of £63,750.

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Noble Mission’s Spanish Mission Takes the Yorkshire Cup

Providing a boost to Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) who had beaten him so readily in the Mar. 27 G2 Dubai Gold Cup, Team Valor and Gary Barber's Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) was at the fore with a smooth success in Friday's G2 Yorkshire Cup. Held up in last early by William Buick, last year's G2 Doncaster Cup winner who was making his European return having been fifth at Meydan was moved closer travelling notably strongly as Sir Ron Priestley (GB) (Australia {GB}) attacked approaching three out. Getting the better of that 6-5 favourite a furlong from home, the 11-2 shot was firmly in command from there and had 2 3/4 lengths to spare over Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) at the line, with Sir Ron Priestley surprisingly backing out of the fight late to be a further length away in third. “It was a great performance. He won the Doncaster Cup last year in great style and it was similar conditions today,” Buick said of the June 17 G1 Ascot Gold Cup-bound winner. “He doesn't have many blips in his career and they've only been when the ground has been bad or he's been unfortunate. He travelled smoothly today and over this trip he has that turn of foot, that tactical pace which is great to have in a stayer.”

Having proven himself a genuine pattern-race performer when beating Nayef Road (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by four lengths in Newmarket's 13-furlong G3 Bahrain Trophy in July 2019, Spanish Mission also garnered the Jockey Club Derby Invitational at Belmont that season before trying staying trips. Second in Sandown's G3 Henry II S. over two miles in early July, the bay was sixth in the G1 Goodwood Cup later that month before leaving David Simcock and marking his debut for this stable with a comprehensive win in the Listed Chester S. in August. Proving that the near two-and-a-quarter-mile trip of the Doncaster Cup held no fears when following up at the St Leger meeting, he was seventh in the G2 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup on testing ground at Ascot in October. Runner-up in the 15-furlong Red Sea Turf H. at Riyadh Feb. 20 before his Dubai Gold Cup effort.

Underlining just what a stamina influence Noble Mission has been in this instance, the first foal out of the listed-winning dam Limonar (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}) was the Listed Rose Bowl S.-winning sprinter Mokarris (More Than Ready) who was also runner-up in the G2 Gimcrack S. Limonar is a half-sister to the GI Shoemaker Mile winner Talco (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}) and to the dam of the recent G3 Prix de la Grotte third Silvestri (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) who lines up in Sunday's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. This is also the family of the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Bachelor Duke (Miswaki) and the G1 National S.-winning sire Fatherland (Ire) which includes Sonnyboyliston (Ire) (Power {GB}) who was third in this month's G3 Ormonde S. Her 2-year-old colt is by Mastery, while she also has a yearling son of Uncle Mo.

Friday, York, Britain
MATCHBOOK YORKSHIRE CUP-G2, £120,000, York, 5-14, 4yo/up, 13f 188yT, 2:59.56, gd.
1–SPANISH MISSION, 130, h, 5, by Noble Mission (GB)
1st Dam: Limonar (Ire) (SW-Fr, $124,447), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Trylko, by Diesis (GB)
3rd Dam: Gossamer, by Seattle Slew
($125,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP; 60,000gns RNA 2yo '18 TATBRE). O-Team Valor LLC & Gary Barber; B-St. Elias Stables, LLC (KY); T-Andrew Balding; J-William Buick. £68,052. Lifetime Record: SW-US, 16-6-3-2, $1,432,645. *1/2 to Mokarris (More Than Ready), SW & GSP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Santiago (Ire), 127, c, 4, Authorized (Ire)–Wadyhatta (GB), by Cape Cross (Ire). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Lynch Bages Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £25,800.
3–Sir Ron Priestley (GB), 130, h, 5, Australia (GB)–Reckoning (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (70,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Paul Dean; B-Mascalls Stud (GB); T-Mark Johnston. £12,912.
Margins: 2 3/4, 1, 9HF. Odds: 5.5, 2.25, 1.20.
Also Ran: Wells Farhh Go (Ire), Nayef Road (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Camelot’s Youth Spirit Battles to Chester Vase Win

Bouncing back from a fourth in last month's Listed Feilden S. at Newmarket on seasonal comeback, Ahmad Al Shaikh's Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) dented a number of Classic aspirations with a determined victory in Wednesday's G3 Chester Vase. He had bettered a debut fourth over seven furlongs at Haydock when annexing a hot Newmarket maiden tackling the same trip next time and hit the board contesting Goodwood's July 28 G2 Vintage S. in the last of three juvenile outings. The April-foaled bay was let go at 15-2 and settled third along the fence, in the wake of 6-4 pick and eventual fourth Wirko (Ger) (Kingman {GB}), through halfway in this extended 12-furlong Classic trial. Bustled along as the tempo increased approaching the quarter-mile marker, he straightened for home in second–as Fancy Man (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus})'s forward thrust carried that rival to the front on the final turn–and stayed on strongly under a late drive to withstand the running-on effort of Sandhurst (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by 1 3/4 lengths. Fancy Man ultimately suffered for his home-turn burst and finished one length back in third, with Listed Blue Riband Trial victor Wirko fading late to finish another seven lengths adrift in fourth.

“He's always been a horse we've rated very highly, but the question mark was whether he stayed or not,” admitted Andrew Balding. “There is stamina on the sire's side, obviously, but there is plenty of speed on the dam's side. He saw the trip out really well and I'm thrilled. I knew he'd improve a good bit from Newmarket, because he'd been off the track a long while before running there, and everything happened a bit quick for him. He's obviously come on for it and I thought he did everything really nicely today.”

Looking ahead to a date with Classic destiny, Balding indicated Youth Spirit will bid to mark the 50th anniversary of the Ian Balding-trained Mill Reef making an indelible mark on the Blue Riband honour roll by going one better than connections' runner-up finish with Khalifa Sat (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}) last year. “The plan, as long as everything goes all right between now and then, is to head for Epsom [for the June 5 G1 Derby]. I obviously can't compare him with Mill Reef because I wasn't around then and, in any case, Youth Spirit is a long way from ticking the boxes that Mill Reef had, but he could have a live chance in the Derby.”

Jockey Tom Marquand added, “It's great for [owner] Ahmad Al Shaikh to have another one for the Derby. Last year that was a fairy story with Khalifa Sat finishing second and, hopefully, they can go one better. Khalifa Sat surprised me in the Derby because he looked more of a staying type. This lad is the other way around and 12 furlongs is as far as he'll want. He is really game and genuine and I'm sure we'll have a go. It will have been a real good experience to have been around here because it is pretty different compared to everywhere else. It should stand him in good stead for Epsom.”

Youth Spirit, half-brother to a 2-year-old colt by Tamayuz (GB) and a yearling colt by Australia (GB), is the first of two foals produced by an unraced half-sister to G2 Gimcrack S. hero Blaine (GB) (Avonbridge {GB}), Two-Year-Old Trophy victor Bogart (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) and last term's G3 Prix Eclipse second Legal Attack (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}). His dam Rocana (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) is out of a winning half-sister to Listed Prix Urban Sea placegetter Golden Accolade (GB) (Highest Honor {Fr}) and hails from the family of GI Breeders' Cup Sprint hero Lit de Justice (El Gran Senor), G1 Racing Post Trophy-winning sire Commander Collins (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), G1 Epsom Derby and G1 Irish Derby third Colonel Collins (El Gran Senor) and G1 Racing Post Trophy runner-up City Leader (Ire) (Fasliyev).

Wednesday, Chester, Britain
CHESTER VASE S.-G3, £80,000, Chester, 5-5, 3yo, c/g, 12f 63yT, 2:45.83, g/s.
1–YOUTH SPIRIT (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Camelot (GB)
1st Dam: Rocana (GB), by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
2nd Dam: Lauren Louise (GB), by Tagula (Ire)
3rd Dam: Movie Star (Ire), by Barathea (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€60,000 Wlg '18 GOFNOV; €100,000 RNA Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Ahmad Al Shaikh; B-Ringfort Stud & Paul Hancock (IRE); T-Andrew Balding; J-Tom Marquand. £45,368. Lifetime Record: 5-2-0-1, $80,680. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sandhurst (Ire), 126, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–How's She Cuttin' (Ire), by Shinko Forest (Ire). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £17,200.
3–Fancy Man (Ire), 126, c, 3, Pride of Dubai (Aus)–Fancy (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (€30,000 Ylg '19 GOFOR). O-Michael Pescod; B-Longfield Stud (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £8,608.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1, 7. Odds: 7.50, 6.00, 4.50.
Also Ran: Wirko (Ger), Pleasant Man (GB), Law of the Sea (GB). Scratched: San Martino (Ire), Sir Lamorak (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigreex. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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