Andrew Balding | Horse Racing Free Tips

Her Majesty’s Tactical a Middle Park Candidate

Her Majesty The Queen’s Tactical (GB) (Toronado {Ire}), a Group 2 winner, is a contender for the G1 Middle Park S. at Newmarket on Sept. 26. The Andrew Balding trainee was third in a Newmarket novice when unveiled on June 4 before breaking his maiden in the Listed Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot on June 17. Another win, this time in the G2 Tattersalls July S. on July 9, set him up for the Aug. 23 G1 Darley Prix Morny. Fifth in that affair after disliking the ground, the colt could also stretch out beyond six furlongs.

“We were disappointed with the result, but his jockey felt that he just struggled on the ground,” said Balding. “We will get him home and regroup, but I’ve not lost faith in the horse. We will get him back on a better surface and try to get him back on track. We didn’t consider pulling him out of the race as we thought he was equipped to deal with most types of ground, but he never looked comfortable on it.

“The Middle Park is a possibility, but there is also a chance we might look to step him up to seven furlongs as well.”

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Classic Winners Kameko, Siskin Clash In Wednesday’s ‘Win And You’re In’ Sussex Stakes

Classic winning 3-year-olds, Kameko and Siskin, are set to clash in the Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1) at Goodwood on Wednesday. The winner will earn an automatic berth into the US$2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge.

QIPCO 2000 Guineas (G1) winner, Kameko, and Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas (G1) winner, Siskin, will take on the older generation on Wednesday in the British Group 1 mile showpiece.

Prince Khalid Abdullah's unbeaten homebred colt Siskin travels from Ireland for this hot contest. The son of First Defense (USA), trained by Ger Lyons, has not been seen on a racecourse since scoring in impressive fashion at the Curragh.

Lyons said: “On form figures we have to improve. I think he has but we won't know until the day. The horse has done everything I've asked him and has been working well at home. Physically he is improving — you can see him getting stronger. It is going to be a tough contest.”

Regular jockey Colin Keane will take the ride despite facing 14 days' quarantine on his return to Ireland, with Lyons adding: “These are the races that you want to win. He has to self-isolate when he comes home. These are strange times though, and we are lucky to be racing.”

Owned by Qatar Racing and trained by Andrew Balding, Kameko steps back down in trip after finishing a credible fourth in the Investec Derby (G1) last time out. The dual Group 1 winner set a course record over a mile in the 2000 Guineas (G1), beating Ballydoyle's Wichita (IRE) by a neck.

Wichita is one of three runners for trainer Aidan O'Brien, alongside Queen Anne (G1) winner Circus Maximus (IRE) and Irish Guineas runner-up Vatican City (IRE). The former's Royal Ascot victory guarantees his place in the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, on Nov. 6-7.

Others lining up at Goodwood for the Qatar Sussex Stakes and looking to earn their place at this year's Breeders' Cup include Mohaather (GB) and San Donato (IRE), the first two home in the Group 2 Betfred Summer Mile at Ascot this month.

Mohaather was an emphatic winner that day, having previously endured a luckless run behind Circus Maximus in the Queen Anne Stakes. His trainer Marcus Tregoning is hoping for his first Group 1 success since landing the Derby with Sir Percy in 2006.

Marcus Tregoning said, “It's a tough order but I don't think we could have Mohaather any better and he deserves a crack at it. He took his race in the Summer Mile very well and was back cantering the next day.

“I don't see why he won't handle the track because he's a neat horse who travels well and has plenty of speed. Hopefully he's going to run a big race.”

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the Qatar Sussex Stakes to start in the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile, which will be run over 1 mile at the Keeneland turf course. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must already be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program or it must be nominated by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 26 to receive the rewards.

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Khalifa Sat Gordon-Bound

Ahmad Al Shaikh’s Khalifa Sat (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}), the 50-1 runner-up in the G1 Investec Derby, will target the G3 Gordon S. at Goodwood on July 30, should he come through a work later this week in good order. Khalifa Sat had earmarked himself as a potential talent when winning the Listed Cocked Hat S. also at Goodwood in June, and cemented that status in the Derby.

“There’s a possibility he could run in the Gordon S. at Goodwood next week, depending on how he comes through a bit of work later in the week,” said trainer Andrew Balding. “He’s well, and the Gordon S. would be the intention. He’s just a lovely horse to have in the yard.”

Khalifa Sat isn’t the only big-name runner Balding will have at Goodwood, and the trainer reported G1 2000 Guineas winner Kameko (Kitten’s Joy) will also work later this week ahead of the July 29 G1 Sussex S.

“He’s good, he’ll do a bit of work later in the week–and if all is well after that, it’s all systems go for next week,” Balding said. “It does look a very good race–but it should be, because it is the Sussex S. It will be fascinating to see him take on Siskin, Circus Maximus and Marcus [Tregoning’s] horse [Mohaather]–and I’m sure there will be one or two others too. It looks like being a great race.”

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Guineas Winners To Meet In Sussex

Kameko (Kitten’s Joy) and Siskin (First Defence), winners respectively of the G1 Qipco 2000 Guineas and G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas, are set to meet in the G1 Sussex S. on July 29. Kameko was last seen finishing fourth in the G1 Investec Derby on July 4, while Siskin comes in off his Curragh Classic win on June 12.

David Redvers, racing and bloodstock advisor to Kameko’s owner Qatar Racing, told Nick Luck’s Daily podcast that the Sussex would be used as a stepping stone to the G1 Juddmonte International on Aug. 19.

“There’s been lively in-house debate and Sheikh Fahad is keen to go with [trainer] Andrew [Balding]’s preferred option, which at the moment looks like it will be the Sussex,” Redvers said. “We need to have a meeting of the two Guineas winners to see which is the better and it looks to me like the Sussex is where we are leaning at the moment. It depends on other factors, such as weather and how the horse is, but at the moment it looks like that is where we are heading.

“Going to the Sussex gives you more time [than the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois on Aug. 16] if you wanted to go to the Juddmonte, which has been Andrew’s target all along. He bounced out of the Derby very well and will have had quite a lot of quick runs if he does go to the Juddmonte, but a bit like Roaring Lion, Kitten’s Joy seems to make them out of tough stuff.”

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