Tag Archive for: Andrew Balding

Flying Frankie bags first Sceptre winner with Foxtrot Lady

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Frankie Dettori performed his trademark flying dismount for the spectators in attendance following victory aboard Foxtrot Lady in the bet365 Sceptre Fillies’ Stakes at Doncaster.

Andrew Balding’s mare was an 18-1 shot for the Group Three feature on the opening afternoon of the St Leger Festival.

However, sporting the colours of the great sprinting mare Lochsong, who he steered to multiple Group One wins in the early 1990s, the popular Italian once again weaved his magic in the saddle.

After being settled in behind rivals for much of the seven-furlong contest, Foxtrot Lady was produced with a well-timed challenge against the stands rail and proved a length and a quarter too strong for 7-2 favourite Althiqa, with Bounce The Blues a close-up third.

Dettori, who was winning the race for the first time, said: “Andrew booked me late and I didn’t know what to expect. It looked a wide-open event.

“I was lucky I had Andrea (Atzeni, on Cloak Of Spirits) next to me – he took the wind for me.

“There’s a bit of a headwind and I filled her with confidence and sat and had one run at it and she picked up – it’s as simple as that.”

A crowd of around 2,500 people were on Town Moor to witness Dettori’s victory – the first day of racing in front of a paying crowd in Britain since mid-March as part of a pilot event that was due to take place for the four days of the meeting.

That number was due to rise to around 6,000 for the Pertemps St Leger on Saturday, but it was announced on Wednesday afternoon racing will go back behind closed doors for the rest of the week.

“I didn’t really notice any difference with the crowd today as this place swallows 5,000 people,” Dettori added.

“It’s a shame that we have to go back again, but we have to keep people safe.

“You have to do what is safe for everyone, we all know the rules until we get this corona sorted.

“Let’s hope we come back to normal soon.”

Coltrane hits right notes in Melrose victory

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Coltrane completed his hat-trick with a dominant display in the Sky Bet Melrose Handicap at York.

Andrew Balding’s three-year-old did not make his debut until late June, but has made rapid progress in the space of a couple of months, with two sound efforts in defeat followed by back-to-back victories at Chepstow and Newmarket.

Facing a step up in class on the Knavesmire, Coltrane was sent off at 12-1 in the hands of champion jockey Oisin Murphy and moved smoothly into contention before pulling four lengths clear of Arthurian Fable.

“He had shown some nice work at home earlier in the year. He took a while to get his act together, but he won well at Chepstow and again on fast ground at Newmarket,” said Murphy.

“Being a typical Mastercraftsman, he relished a bit of dig in the ground today. On paper there were lots of horses who could improve, but this fella clearly stepped up.”

Asked whether the fast-improving colt could be a St Leger candidate, the rider added: “It didn’t even dawn on me. Let’s see what the owners think – Dashing Willoughby ran very well for them in a Leger. Whether that’s a step too far, I’m not sure.

“I think today was the target because it’s usually a valuable race and there’s plenty of history attached to it.

“I’m not sure what Andrew wants to do that. I think he would stay the Cesarewitch trip, but at his age it’s a long way to go (two and a quarter miles) and it also depends what the handicapper does.”

Acklam Express (100-30 favourite) also registered a third straight win as he came out top in the Julia Graves Roses Stakes under Tom Marquand.

Nigel Tinkler’s Hamilton and Goodwood scorer displayed courage as well as class in seeing off Queen Of Rio and Nomadic Empire by a nose and a head respectively.

Tinkler said: “I thought he was going to fade away with 100 yards to go and finish third or fourth, but he kept trying.

“The jockey said he hated the ground, but he’s very genuine and he’s puled it out of the bag – it’s brilliant to win a Listed race at York.

“There are some races in France he might just go for. I think he’s better on quicker ground.”

It was a shot in the arm for the Malton-based trainer following the disappointing performance of the classy Ubettabelieveit in Friday’s Gimcrack Stakes.

He added: “I wasn’t a happy man after that race, I promise you. He ran too keen and didn’t like the ground, but he didn’t have a hard race and he could possibly go for the Flying Childers at Doncaster.”

Ralph Beckett and Harry Bentley combined to land the Sky Bet Handicap with 10-1 chance Lucander, getting the better of Sky Defender by a length and three-quarters.