Andrew Balding | Horse Racing Free Tips

Fred Darling Success For No Nay Never’s Alcohol Free

Trying a seventh furlong for the first time in Sunday's G3 Fred Darling S. at Newbury, Jeff Smith's G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) had just enough stamina to see it out and deny the dark horse Statement (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) in a bobber. Held out wide halfway down the field under Oisin Murphy, the 9-4 favourite swooped to the front with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and had to battle as the Martyn Meade trainee joined her soon after. Getting her nose down on the line, she had the call by a short head, with Vadream (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) 2 1/4 lengths away in third. “She's going to give herself every chance of staying in the Guineas,” Murphy commented. “I was very happy with the way she relaxed, as she can be pretty full-on. Top marks, that was a lovely start.”

Trainer Andrew Balding was bullish about Alcohol Free seeing out the extra furlong in Newmarket's May 2 G1 1000 Guineas and said, “She was drawn slightly out on the wing, but I couldn't be happier and to be honest we weren't coming here expecting to win–just hoping she showed nicely. She's been slow to come into her coat and we haven't done an awful lot with her. She settled so well and I can't see a problem with the mile so she'll go to Newmarket. That is very much the plan and today is a bonus.”

Alcohol Free's dam Plying (Hard Spun), who also produced the Listed Prix le Fabuleux-winning miler Alexander James (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), is out of the listed-placed Nasaieb (Ire) (Fairy King) and therefore a half to the G2 Flying Childers S. and G3 Princess Margaret S. third Kissing Lights (Ire) Machiavellian). Nasaieb is kin to the G3 Solario S. scorer Raise a Grand (Ire) (Grand Lodge), while this is also the family of the champion juvenile filly Numbered Account (Buckpasser). Plying's 2-year-old filly Hooked On You (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) was a 130,000gns purchase by Creighton Schwartz Bloodstock at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale, while €80,000 was paid by Ballyhane for her yearling colt by Dandy Man (Ire) at the Goffs November Foal Sale.

Sunday, Newbury, Britain
DUBAI DUTY FREE S. (FRED DARLING S.)-G3, £45,000, Newbury, 4-18, 3yo, f, 7fT, 1:24.44, gd.
1–ALCOHOL FREE (IRE), 126, f, 3, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: Plying, by Hard Spun
2nd Dam: Nasaieb (Ire), by Fairy King
3rd Dam: Atyaaf, by Irish River (Fr)
(€40,000 Wlg '18 GOFNOV). O-J C Smith; B-Churchtown House Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding; J-Oisin Murphy. £25,520. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 4-3-1-0, $207,919. *1/2 to Alexander James (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), SW-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Statement (Ire), 126, f, 3, Lawman (Fr)–Fact Or Folklore (Ire), by Lope de Vega (Ire). (€100,000 Ylg '19 GOFOR). O-Ballylinch Stud 1; B-Ballylinch Stud (IRE); T-Martyn Meade. £9,675.
3–Vadream (GB), 126, f, 3, Brazen Beau (Aus)–Her Honour (Ire), by Shamardal. O-D R J King; B-Crispin Estates Ltd (GB); T-Charlie Fellowes. £4,842.
Margins: NO, 2 1/4, HD. Odds: 2.25, 18.00, 50.00.
Also Ran: Primo Bacio (Ire), Ville de Grace (GB), Isabella Giles (Ire), Dandalla (Ire), Umm Kulthum (Ire), Liberated Lady (Ire), Happy Romance (Ire), Miss Finland (Ire), Zaajirah (Ire), Illykato (GB), Wild Iris (Ire), Hello Me (Ire), Lucid Dreamer (GB), Aunty Bridy (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Alcohol Free Eyeing Return in Fred Darling S.

Group 1 winner Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) will return in the G3 Fred Darling S. at Newbury on Apr. 17 prior to taking her chance in the G1 English 1000 Guineas on May 2. A winner of the G1 Cheveley Park S. last term, the Andrew Balding trainee has wintered well, but is still in her winter coat.

“I'm delighted with her–the only problem is she's still wearing her winter collection at the moment,” Balding told Sky Sports Racing. “I'm just hoping the coat starts to shift–which it should do, with the weather we've got forecast over the next week.

“I'd hope to see a change in that, but she's been showing all her usual ability in her work. She's done two fast pieces of work, and I'm really pleased where we're at in terms of her fitness levels and well-being–apart from the coat being a bit woolly.”

“The plan was to run in the Fred Darling as a prep for the Guineas. I think it's important with her to hopefully have a run before going a mile–but if she's not ready in time we'll go straight to Newmarket.

“That has always been the plan, and she relaxes so well–certainly at home. It gives her a chance of getting a mile, but if we can get a race in as a prep to make sure she does settle that would be to her advantage.”

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Thunder Moon On Track For Guineas

Entries were revealed on Wednesday for the G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas and G1 Qipco 1000 Guineas, with 72 colts signed on for the 2000 Guineas on May 1 and 63 fillies for the 1000 the following day.

Aidan O'Brien has saddled 10 winners of the first Classic of the season and has 12 entries for the 2000 Guineas, including 2-year-old champion St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and G2 Vintage S. scorer Battleground (War Front). O'Brien's son Joseph, likewise, has Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. winner Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) signed on, and he said of the bay, a last-out third in the G1 Dewhurst S., “Thunder Moon has wintered well and we are pleased with where we are. There is plenty of water still to go under the bridge yet but it is exciting to have a live contender for the 2000 Guineas. We were very pleased with the run in the Dewhurst considering the ground on the day. He was posted on a tougher part of the track as there was bias towards the stands rails but we were pleased with him. He is obviously a pretty quick horse on what he has done so far but he shapes as though a mile will be within compass so I don't see the trip being a problem. I do feel that he will be better on quicker ground as well. It is nice to have had a run at the track previously and that experience there won't do him any harm. We have the option of running him beforehand but we will decide nearer the time and see how the horse is before making that decision.”

O'Brien added of his champion 2-year-old filly Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}), who is among the early favourites for the 1000 Guineas, “She is obviously a course and distance winner so we know she gets the trip well. I was very pleased with the performance in the Fillies' Mile. It was a brave performance as she had a bit of an interrupted preparation going into the race.

“She is an exciting filly. Her pedigree suggests she will be open to stay further than a mile as well which gives her plenty of options. Like with Thunder Moon, she has wintered well and I'm pleased with where we are. She was consistently solid last season and hopefully we can keep it that way. She was fine on both soft and good ground so she is versatile ground-wise. A decision on whether she has a prep run will depend on how she is training and how we feel closer to the time.”

Richard Hannon, meanwhile, said of the G2 Vintage S. winner Chindit (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who is engaged for the 2000 Guineas, “I'm very pleased with him and he has done very well. He did just a bit more than a canter a few days ago, him [fellow Guineas entrants] Fancy Man (Ire) and Etonian (Ire) all worked and it was a lovely start.

“Regarding his Newmarket run [ninth in the Dewhurst], the times say that the ground was heavy and it looked it. Chindit will go wherever there is decent ground. If it turns up at Newbury that is where he will go first [for the G3 Greenham S.]. He had done all his winning on flat tracks at Doncaster and Ascot before Newmarket and I'm not sure he loved the track. He has always been a neat horse with a good action. He is a good horse with a lot of speed. I think he would get the mile in a Guineas and would be suited by that trip as he is a very straightforward, simple horse.”

Trainer Andrew Balding provided an update on G1 Cheveley Park S. scorer Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never), who recently returned from winter holiday.

“We are very much looking at the Guineas but that is still a long way off,” he said. “She has had a good holiday but she still looks a bit wintery in her coat so we will see what happens over the next month as we all know what fillies can do in the spring. I really was impressed in the Cheveley Park as it was only her third run and she was entitled to improve again. She has done well physically but we haven't really started serious work yet. Her pedigree offers mixed messages regarding the trip and that is about all I can go on at this stage. I'd be hopeful she would get it though as she relaxes pretty well but there is nothing we can do to find out until we try it. I think the plan if all goes well is to go to the Fred Darling first as a prep as I would like her to go over seven before going over a mile.”

Trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam said 1000 Guineas contender Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), who won last year's G3 Oh So Sharp S., will have a prep for the Classic.

“I'm thrilled with the way she has come back from her winter break at Ben and Lucy's Sangster's in Manton,” Chapple-Hyam said. “She has put on a nice 77 pounds and she has matured into a filly that should be competitive for the Guineas. The plan will be to start her off in the [G3] Nell Gwyn [S.] and then two weeks later head for the Guineas. It was a quick turnaround between her two runs in her maiden and the Oh So Sharp last season so we know she can do it. I think she is a serious filly that is potentially top drawer. She has wintered well and developed nicely. She has got all the right attributes. She has done it on different ground types and I think if it is real good ground you will really see her scoot along. She is not complicated as she doesn't have to lead or have cover or come with a late run. If you look at her last run she hit the rising ground going away so I don't see the mile being a problem at all.”

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Berkshire Rocco Possible for Sheema Classic

The G1 Dubai Sheema Classic is a potential March target for G1 St Leger second Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}) according to trainer Andrew Balding. Since taking the Listed Noel Murless S. in October, the colt returned to be the runner-up in the H H the Amir Trophy in Qatar on Feb. 20.

“He ran a smashing race,” said Balding. “It was his first run for a while, and he's entitled to come on for that. All being well, he might head towards Meydan for the Sheema Classic. He's effective at a mile and a half and further, and is just a great horse to have in the yard.”

Stablemate Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) is also a possible candidate for the Dubai World Cup meeting on Mar. 27. the 2020 G2 Doncaster Cup S. winner was last seen running second in the Red Sea Turf H. at Riyadh.

“He ran with great credit and he too might end up going to Dubai for the [G2] Dubai Gold Cup,” said Balding.

The third Balding trainee, Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}) a Group 3 winner earlier in his career and a winner of the Listed Winter Derby Trial S. two back, was eighth in the Feb. 20 $20-million Saudi Cup. The bay is set for start in the Apr. 2 All-Weather Championship Finals at Lingfield.

“He's probably not quite as good as the others, which is obvious, but he won some really good prize-money and is back here and bouncing,” said Balding. “There were great rewards up for grabs, and that was the main reason we ran. The rewards were there as long as he could finish in the first 10, and he did that and has done us proud. He will more than likely head to Lingfield for Good Friday.”

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