Balding Juvenile Stars Target Group 1s

Trainer Andrew Balding outlined some long term Group 1 goals for his juvenile stable stars, with Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten), Berkshire Shadow (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), and Majestic Glory (GB) (Frankel {GB}) all bound for Group 1 targets in the fall.

The G2 Sky Bet Lowther S. at York on Aug. 19 is the next racecourse appearance for Kirsten Rausing's homebred G3 Albany S. and G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. heroine. All being well, the dark bay will then take part in the six-furlong G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park S. at Newmarket on Sept. 25.

Balding said of the three-for-three filly, “Sandrine looks very good and I've been thrilled with her last two runs. She will probably run in the Lowther next then all eyes will be on the Cheveley Park. She will carry a penalty [at York] but we didn't want to wait until Newmarket to run her again. She seems to be very versatile ground wise. She is a very smart filly and is an absolute pleasure to train.”

Victorious at Newbury when unveiled in April, Berkshire Shadow saluted at Royal Ascot in the G2 Coventry S. He was last seen running second over soft ground in the G2 Vintage S. at Goodwood on July 27. The Sept. 25 G1 Muddmonte Middle Park S. going six furlongs or the G1 Darley Dewhurst S. over seven furlongs on Oct. 9 are both likely targets for the progressive colt.

“We might drop him back to six and look at the Gimcrack at York before looking at options like the Middle Park or Dewhurst in the autumn. He is a very talented horse and if he encountered soft ground again I imagine he would perform better on it now having raced on it. Like Sandrine, it is a pleasure to have him in the yard.”

Rounding out the Balding trio is Saturday's G3 Sweet Solera S. heroine Majestic Glory. Sixth at Windsor making her first start on July 5, the bay improved to second at Newbury on July 16 and donned cap and gown transferred to Newmarket on July 30, her final appearance before her Sweet Solera score. The Oct. 8 G1 bet365 Fillies' Mile is in the cards for Majestic Glory.

He added, “It was a very good performance that Majestic Glory put up in the Sweet Solera S. at Newmarket on Saturday and her breeding suggests she should stay further than seven furlongs.

“She hadn't had a massively hard race the time before and this looked a fairly good opportunity at this level so we took and I thought she looked very smart.”

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Bobby’s Kitten’s Sandrine In Charge Of The Duchess Of Cambridge

Confirming the form of Royal Ascot's G3 Albany S., Kirsten Rausing's Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) was in a dominant mood as she brought up a notable pattern-race double in Friday's G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. at Newmarket.

Held up behind a duo racing far side throughout the early stages, the 11-5 favourite moved to the lead approaching the furlong pole and readily drew away to beat Desert Dreamer (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) by 1 3/4 lengths, with the Albany runner-up Hello You (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) half a length back in third.

“She had to prove herself on quick ground and she has done that today,” rider David Probert said. “She got into a great rhythm throughout the race and when the pace quickened before the two, she stepped up another gear under pressure on the rising ground. She's got a great temperament and took a good bit of pulling up there, so I don't see why she couldn't step up in trip.”

Now a winner on Kempton's Polytrack May 19, on deep ground in the June 18 Albany and fast going here, the homebred has inherited a vast amount of versatility.

Owner-breeder Kirsten Rausing said, “She's independent of going, like her sire was and he was a turf performer in America who also won on heavy ground at Cork on his only European appearance. The family goes back about six generations since I bought her ancestress as a yearling and we also stand the sire, whose first group winner she is. I'm delighted for his sake and for that of my team at home and, of course, Andrew Balding, David Probert and the entire team at Kingsclere who have done so well. I think she did it very convincingly. She had it won a while before she passed the line. I think she has proved at present she is the best 2-year-old filly in England and Ireland.”

Sandrine is the second foal out of Seychelloise (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), whose first is the useful 3-year-old colt Sea the Shells (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), fourth in the Listed Fairway S. in May. She is a daughter of the G3 Prix d'Arenberg winner Starlit Sands (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who was also runner-up in the G2 Queen Mary S., while the third dam is the G3 Silken Glider S. third Shimmering Sea (GB) (Slip Anchor {GB}). A half to the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S.-winning sire Petoski (GB) (Niniski), she produced the Scandinavian champion Sea Dane (GB) (Danehill) and the dams of the G3 Prix des Reservoirs winner Songerie (GB) (Hernando {Fr}), the G1 Oaks d'Italia third Souvenance (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) and the G3 Ridgewood Pearl S. winner Chigun (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Seychelloise's yearling colt is by Roaring Lion, while she also has a colt foal by Study of Man (Ire).

Friday, Newmarket, Britain
DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE S.-G2, £90,000, Newmarket, 7-9, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:10.65, g/f.
1–SANDRINE (GB), 126, f, 2, by Bobby's Kitten
1st Dam: Seychelloise (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Starlit Sands (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
3rd Dam: Shimmering Sea (GB), by Slip Anchor (GB)
O/B-Kirsten Rausing (GB); T-Andrew Balding; J-David Probert. £51,039. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $128,409. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Desert Dreamer (GB), 126, f, 2, Oasis Dream (GB)–Pure Innocence (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire). (20,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-J W Parry & Mrs C Shekells; B-Branton Court Stud (GB); T-Stuart Williams. £19,350.
3–Hello You (Ire), 126, f, 2, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Lucrece (GB), by Pivotal (GB). (€350,000 Ylg '20 ARDEAY). O-Amo Racing Ltd; B-Serge Boucheron (IRE); T-Ralph Beckett. £9,684.
Margins: 1 3/4, HF, 2 1/4. Odds: 2.20, 5.50, 2.25.
Also Ran: Oscula (Ire), Honey Sweet (Ire), Flotus (Ire), Sadmah (GB), Ellade (GB). Scratched: Shouldavbeenmore (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Bobby’s Kitten’s Sandrine Takes The Albany

Hailing from the Andrew Balding stable already successful at the Royal meeting with the 2-year-old Berkshire Shadow (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Kirsten Rausing's Kempton winner Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) doubled Kingsclere's tally as she mastered both the heavy ground and 14 rivals in Friday's G3 Albany S. Showing stamina as well as speed on her debut over this six-furlong trip on the Polytrack May 19, the homebred raced wide initially behind the leading group. Sent forward by David Probert passing halfway, the 16-1 shot was briefly stopped in her run approaching two out but was unperturbed waiting for the command. In the clear soon after, she cut down Hello You (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) inside the final 150 yards and powered through the deep ground to beat that rival by 1 1/2 lengths in the race that for most of the morning looked unlikely to take place. Oscula (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}), who had been third behind the winner at Kempton, was again in that spot half a length away having broken away from the main group to come up the stand's side. “I don't think many will go on these kind of wet conditions, but she is super-fit and very hardy,” Probert said. “She relaxes really well and gets into a good rhythm–she is not very green for a very inexperienced filly and when I did ask her she really was relentless and galloped really nicely to the line. It's very boggy, but we had such a deluge it is quite loose and they are galloping through it so it's not so energy-sapping as it would be if it had dried.”

Kirsten Rausing said, “I bought this filly's fifth or sixth dam as a yearling at Goffs in 1976 and the family has been with me ever since. Everything on her catalogue page from top to bottom, we have bred at Lanwades Stud. All my animals are homebred, so it gives me tremendous pleasure to keep the continuity. I also tend to support my own stallions and this filly is Bobby's Kitten's first stakes winner, first group winner, so we are thrilled with that.”

Andrew Balding added, “I thought the meeting was sure to be off. We were only coming here to have lunch, but I'm so pleased for Kirsten and she deserves a winner like this. Sandrine was impressive when winning on debut. It was a low-class race at Kempton, but the form worked out well and she worked nicely last week. We felt we were entitled to run. We were slightly worried about the ground, as there were mixed messages on the pedigree. However, Bobby's Kitten won well on soft ground on his only start in Ireland. There was no fluke about the win and she was very impressive. I am pleased for David Probert, who just gave her the most beautiful ride and really deserves it.”

Sandrine is the second foal out of the useful Sir Mark Prescott-trained multiple-winning dam Seychelloise (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), whose first is the useful 3-year-old colt Sea the Shells (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) who was fourth in the Listed Fairway S. last month. She is a daughter of the G3 Prix d'Arenberg winner Starlit Sands (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who was also runner-up in the 2007 G2 Queen Mary S. here. The third dam is the G3 Silken Glider S. third Shimmering Sea (GB) (Slip Anchor {GB}), a half to the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S.-winning sire Petoski (GB) (Niniski) who produced the Scandinavian champion Sea Dane (GB) (Danehill). She was also responsible for the dams of the G3 Prix des Reservoirs winner Songerie (GB) (Hernando {Fr}), the G1 Oaks d'Italia third Souvenance (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) and the G3 Ridgewood Pearl S. winner Chigun (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Seychelloise's yearling colt is by Roaring Lion, while she also has a colt foal by Study of Man (Ire).

Friday, Royal Ascot, Britain
ALBANY S.-G3, £65,000, Ascot, 6-18, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:18.00, sf.
1–SANDRINE (GB), 126, f, 2, by Bobby's Kitten
1st Dam: Seychelloise (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Starlit Sands (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
3rd Dam: Shimmering Sea (GB), by Slip Anchor (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Kirsten Rausing (GB); T-Andrew Balding; J-David Probert. £38,480. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $58,029. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Hello You (Ire), 126, f, 2, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Lucrece (GB), by Pivotal (GB). (€350,000 Ylg '20 ARDEAY). O-Amo Racing Ltd; B-Serge Boucheron (IRE); T-Ralph Beckett. £14,554.
3–Oscula (Ire), 126, f, 2, Galileo Gold (GB)–Bisous Y Besos (Ire), by Big Bad Bob (Ire). (4,000gns Ylg '20 TATOC). O-Nick Bradley Racing 20; B-Padraig Williams (IRE); T-George Boughey. £7,274.
Margins: 1HF, HF, NO. Odds: 16.00, 5.00, 10.00.
Also Ran: Prettiest, Cachet (Ire), Elliptic (Ire), Anadora (GB), Sunstrike (Ire), Lady Ayresome (Ire), Eve Lodge (GB), El Maga (Ire), Hellomydarlin (Ire), Flotus (Ire), Sows (Ire), Gypsy Lady (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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