Andrew Balding

MyRacehorse, a U.S.-based racehorse micro-share ownership operator, is expanding to the UK and Ireland with three 2-year-olds, including a 450,000gns Dubawi (Ire) colt purchased out of the Tattersalls October Book 1 Yearling Sale. Out of J Wonder (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), he is trained by Andrew Balding. John and Thady Gosden have a $300,000 Keeneland September filly by Mendelssohn for the GI Kentucky Derby/GI Breeders' Cup Classic-winning organisation. The trio is rounded out by a Zoffany (Ire) filly in the yard of Joseph O'Brien. She was purchased for €170,000 at Goffs Orby....

In racing, as in life, it's always good to have a dream, and for owner Ahmad Al Shaikh, it's a simple one. "It has always been my dream to win the Derby," says the Dubaian businessman.  To that end, he is not doing too badly, especially not for an owner with a relatively small string of horses. Al Shaikh has been represented in the last two Derbys, with the 2020 runner-up Khalifa Sat (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}), and last year by the G3 Chester Vase winner Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot...

Kirsten Rausing's Group 2 winner Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) will make her 2022 debut in the 1600-metre G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 1. A winner at first asking over the Kempton all-weather in May of 2021, the daughter of Seychelloise (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) followed up with a score in the G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot, prior to capturing the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. back at HQ in July. Second in the G2 Lowther S. at York on Aug. 19, the consistent filly was third in...

Stallion and foal parades for breeders were held at Tweenhills Farm and Stud on Monday. All four stallions-Zoustar (Aus), Lightning Spear (GB), Havana Gold (Ire), and Kameko-were on display, while the latter's first foals put on show. Tweenhills will also open its gates to breeders prior to racing during the Cheltenham Festival from Mar. 14-18. A stallion parade will take place daily beginning at 9 a.m., which will be followed by a procession of foals by G1 2000 Guineas hero Kameko. If interested in attending, please reach out to Alice...

There is much to admire about the team at Kingsclere, especially during a season when Andrew Balding has been in or near the top spot of the trainers' table throughout. But one particularly admirable facet to the Balding stable is in its sourcing of young stock at the yearling sales.  Key to that process are the trainer's mother, Emma Balding, and Kingsclere's racing manager, Tessa Hetherington.  The duo can regularly be spotted forming an advance party on the sales grounds, sifting through the catalogue to ensure that they are left...

Progressive juvenile Masekela (Ire) (El Kabeir) will line up next in the Sept. 25 G2 Royal Lodge S. Mick and Janice Mariscotti's colt holds some of the best formlines of any 2-year-old colt this term, running fifth to subsequent G2 Futurity S. hero Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in the Listed Chesham S. at Royal Ascot before a short head second in the G2 Superlative S. to Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) on July 10. The latter stepped up to win the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. at...

The well-traveled group winner Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) will enter quarantine on Thursday before traveling to Australia. His goals Down Under include the Oct. 16 G1 Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup and the Nov. 2 G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup. The May 2 Yorkshire Cup S. hero, who races for Team Valor LLC and Gary Barber, was last seen running second to Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G2 Lonsdale Cup S. at York on Aug. 20. Trainer Andrew Balding is pleased with the 5-year-old entire and hopeful of...

The winners of the 2021 Lycetts Leadership Award, the Lycetts Team Champions Award and the Farm & Stable Award for Innovation & Wellbeing were announced by the National Trainers Federation (NTF) on Thursday. Listed below are the winners of the three awards: Lycetts Leadership Award: Dan Skelton Lycetts Team Champions Award: Richard Phillips Racing Farm & Stable Award for Innovation and Wellbeing: Eve Johnson Houghton Dan Skelton is the first winner of the Lycetts Leadership Award that was inaugurated this year and is designed to shine a light on and...

Classic winner Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who won the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and G1 Grand Prix de Paris already this summer, will line up for Godolphin in the G1 Cazoo St Leger on Sept. 11, one of 18 colts and fillies left in the fall Classic. G1 Cazoo Derby hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who also races for Godolphin, will not take part, and instead target the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Richard Hannon's Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), one better than...

G1 Coronation S. and G1 Sussex S. winner Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) will revert to the mile distance over which she won those two features for the Oct. 16 G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. after beating just one home in Wednesday's G1 Juddmonte International over a mile and a quarter. The 3-year-old filly, who also won last year's G1 Cheveley Park S., was racing beyond a mile for the first time. "Going up to a mile and a quarter was always going to be a punt," said trainer...

New digital sale platform ThoroughBid will host its first sale on Sept. 12, the company announced on Thursday. Entries will be accepted for the platform through Friday, Sept. 3. ThoroughBid, which is currently a team sponsor in the William Hill Racing League, will kick off their sale at 10 a.m. on Sept. 12, with bidding ending for each lot at two-minute intervals beginning at 6 p.m. In addition, anti-snipe technology will be utilised, so that any bid made in the last minute will extend the auction by an additional two...

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...