Trainer Andrew Balding hailed Chaldean as a “dream horse” after his owners Juddmonte announced the 2000 Guineas hero has been retired to stand at Banstead Manor Stud.
The son of Frankel won four of his five starts as a juvenile last season including the Acomb Stakes at York, the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster and the Dewhurst at Newmarket.
He made an inauspicious start to his three-year-old campaign when unseating Frankie Dettori in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury, but bounced back to claim Classic glory and provide the Italian with a fourth and seemingly final 2000 Guineas success on the Rowley Mile in early May.
Chaldean went on to finish best of the rest behind Paddington in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, but disappointed in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville in the summer and struggled in a soft ground Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday in what has turned out to be be his swansong.
Balding said: “Chaldean is just a dream horse; the most professional, uncomplicated, and beautifully balanced horse we have had during his time at Kingsclere.
“He showed unusual improvement through his unique sequence of prestigious wins in the Acomb Stakes, Champagne Stakes and the Dewhurst Stakes at two-years-old only to improve again to win the 2000 Guineas before his turning three years old.”
General manager of Juddmonte UK, Simon Mockridge, added: “We would like to extend special thanks to Andrew Balding and the teams at Kingsclere and Juddmonte for guiding and skilfully developing the racing career of Chaldean.
“We look forward to welcoming our Classic winner Chaldean as the first son of Frankel to stand at Banstead Manor Stud, further strengthening Juddmonte’s European stallion roster.”
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Bluestocking will be back again next year after a frustrating winless season ended with her finishing second in another Group One on Champions Day.
Ralph Beckett’s filly chased home Savethelastdance in the Irish Oaks and just failed to reel in Poptronic at Ascot on Saturday.
She was also placed in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot and finished fourth in the Yorkshire Oaks but failed to get her head in front even when dropped to Listed company at Chester in September.
Barry Mahon, racing manger for owners Juddmonte said: “She ran another cracker, she’s having a break for the winter but she’ll be back next year.
🗣"A ground saving ride an energy saving ride"
Angus McNae reviews Poptronic's efforts in the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes @Ascot 👇 pic.twitter.com/fZpcYEP1Wn
“The owners had said before Saturday that they would like to keep her in training.
“Rossa (Ryan) gave her a lovely ride on Saturday, I thought the winner would have come back to her a little more but in fairness to her, she kept going.”
Roger and Harry Charlton’s Time Lock ran in the same race but disappointed back in seventh.
“The ground was too testing for her,” said Mahon. “William (Buick) said he knew after a furlong she wasn’t in love with the ground, it was just too soft.”
Chaldean won the 2000 Guineas under Frankie Dettori (David Davies/PA)
Unfortunately similar comments applied to 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, he ended up being beaten 49 lengths.
“Frankie (Dettori) said he travelled great for five or six furlongs but then, having been off the track for a while, that ground found him out,” added Mahon.
“He couldn’t quicken off that really deep ground so he looked after him. We haven’t fully decided if he’s coming back next year or not.”
Next year promises to be another good one for Juddmonte either way, with the Middle Park runner up Task Force and Skellet, a narrow runner-up in the Oh So Sharp likely to take high order.
But Mahon also said it was too early to rule out Mill Reef winner Array from being a leading player despite him disappointing in the Dewhurst, for which he was supplemented.
“The horse we ran in the Dewhurst is a very nice horse but he came out of the that with an injury, so we didn’t see his true running there. I think he’ll be a nice horse next year, it’s not serious but enough to cause a below-par effort,” said Mahon.
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Future plans are on hold for Nostrum after the exciting colt finished lame when hot favourite for the Strensall Stakes at York on Saturday.
Third behind fellow Juddmonte-owned three-year-old Chaldean in the Dewhurst at Newmarket last term, the son of Kingman missed the first part of the current campaign after suffering a setback in the spring.
A spectacular comeback win in a Listed race at Newmarket last month suggested Sir Michael Stoute’s inmate was destined for the top, but he was beaten by Epictetus in the Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood and trailed home last of six runners in another Group Three on the Knavesmire on Saturday.
Whether Nostrum runs again this season remains to be seen, with connections still trying to discover the exact cause of his disappointing performance.
“He was lame behind on the day and it will be investigated a bit more today and tomorrow,” said Juddmonte’s racing manager Barry Mahon on Monday.
“I don’t think it’s anything too sinister from what Sir Michael was saying, he thought it might have been more muscular than anything, but until we check it out we’ll wait and see.
“We won’t know what the plan is until we get all the results back and see what was causing the niggle.
“It was disappointing, but it would be worse if there was no reason for it. The main thing is getting him right as we know the talent is there and the ability is there, it’s just about getting him right.”
Bluestocking has done well in top-class company (Andrew Matthews/PA)
A Juddmonte runner who produced a more positive performance at York was Bluestocking, who was beaten just three and a half lengths into fourth place in Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks.
Ralph Beckett’s filly has previously finished third in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot before being narrowly denied by Savethelastdance in the Irish Oaks, and her team must now decide whether to lower her sights or line up in another Group One contest on Qipco Champions Day at Ascot.
Mahon added: “I thought she ran a lovely race and she’s a filly that’s probably still a little bit on the weak side when you watch her going round the ring compared to some of the opposition.
“I thought it was noticeable that there’s still a little bit of weakness in her and I think she’s filly that will be better next year, but she’s running to a high level of form.
“A little bit more ease in the ground probably suits her a little better and I’m sure there’ll be good days to be had with her along the way.
“We haven’t really decided where we go next, we need to discuss that with the owners. We touched on it after the race whether we drop in class and win a race this year or she goes to the fillies’ race on Ascot on Champions Day.
“We’ll let her get over York and speak with the owners and then decide in the coming weeks.”
Frankie Dettori and Andrew Balding with Chaldean after winning the 2000 Guineas (David Davies for The Jockey Club)
Mahon also provided an update on 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean, who has enjoyed a mid-season break since failing to fire in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville in early July.
The Andrew Balding-trained son of Frankel is being readied for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Champions Day, with a prep run at Newmarket in the pipeline.
“I think Andrew in the back of his head is slightly thinking of the Joel Stakes,” said Mahon.
“He’s back in Kingsclere and cantering away and we sort of said we’d just monitor and see how he goes closer to the time, but Andrew was thinking Joel Stakes and then the QEII.”
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Chaldean is set for a break while connections attempt to get to the bottom of his lacklustre performance in the Prix Jean Prat.
Andrew Balding’s 2000 Guineas hero was dropping back in trip for the Deauville Group One having suffered defeat at the hands of Paddington in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
However, despite travelling with what appeared his usual zest close to the pace in the hands of Oisin Murphy, the Classic winner failed to pick up and his challenge faded tamely as Fabrice Chappet’s Good Guess ran out a convincing winner.
The Frankel colt will now be fully checked over to see if there is any physical reason for the below-par display or whether a busy early season has simply caught up with the Juddmonte-owned colt.
Chaldean with Frankie Dettori and trainer Andrew Balding after winning the 2000 Guineas (David Davies for the Jockey Club/PA)
“It was obviously not the horse’s true running, but we’ll have to wait until the horse gets home to check him out fully to see if there is something there or whether it was he had a hard race in Ascot and was just flat,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for the owners.
“On all known form it was not his true running and we’ll just have to see if anything comes to light.
“I think he’ll have to have a break now. Whether there is something underlying or it just turns out he has run flat, we’ll have to wait and see, but I think he will need a break now to freshen up for the back-end of the year.”
There are still plenty of big-race options on the table for Chaldean when he does return, with a trip to the Breeders’ Cup a possibility for later in the season.
Mahon added: “There’s lots of races for him. There’s the Prix Jacques le Marois (August 13), the race at Ascot on Champions Day (Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, October 21) and the Breeders’ Cup Mile (November 4), so there will be plenty of opportunities for him.
“I always felt the Breeders’ Cup would suit him, especially this year at Santa Anita, but we’ll have to see. We’ll get him checked out first and we know that wasn’t his true running.”
However, there was some joy for the owners this weekend as Ralph Beckett’s Westover enjoyed a more successful venture to France to pick up his second Group One in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.
Last year’s Irish Derby winner had run fine races in defeat to finish second in both the Dubai Sheema Classic and Coronation Cup so far this term, but produced a brilliant display to open his four-year-old account.
“To start the season behind Equinox was a good run and he ran a great race in the Coronation and it’s now nice to get the Group One at Saint-Cloud and make him a dual Group One winner,” said Mahon.
“To break the track record was a special feat when you consider so many great champions have won that race over the years.”
Westover holds an entry for the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot on July 29 and although that will remain high-up in connections’ thoughts, there is a chance that could come too soon following his heroic exertions in the Paris suburbs.
“I was talking to Ralph last night and we said we will definitely keep it (King George) under consideration,” continued Mahon.
Westover winning the Irish Derby in 2022 (Niall Carson/PA)
“He’s had a hard race on Saturday – you don’t break the track record without having a hard race – and it’s not a huge amount of time between now and the King George. It will very much depend on the horse’s well-being and we’ll let the horse tell us.
“He is in everything and has options everywhere. He could go to an Irish Leger (September 10), he could go to an Arc (October 1), he could go to a Breeders’ Cup Turf (November 4). He could even go to Hong Kong and he’s in everything. He’s there to be enjoyed and we will see what Prince Khalid’s family would like to do and see as we go along.
“He’s mentally and physically more mature now and he’s a good traveller. In a race he’s adaptable which is great and we think he’s on an upwards curve.”
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There was no joy for either big-race favourite Chaldean or any of the British and Irish raiders at Deauville as Good Guess ran out an ultra-impressive winner of the Haras d’Etreham Prix Jean Prat.
Andrew Balding’s 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean was attempting to get back to winning ways having finished second behind Paddington at Royal Ascot, and Oisin Murphy had the son of Frankel in a handy position tracking the pace of the forward-going Sauterne in the early stages.
Fellow British challengers Indestructible and Shouldvebeenaring were also in a prominent position and looked to have claims heading into the final two furlongs.
However, none were able to match the acceleration shown by the Fabrice Chappet-trained winner, who struck over the course and distance for the second time this term following his win in the Prix Djebel in April.
Although only sixth in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp, Stephane Pasquier’s mount welcomed the return to seven furlongs when second to Breizh Sky last month and turned the tables on that rival here to lead home a one-two-three for the home team in tremendous style.
Karl Burke’s Indestructible finished best of the foreign contenders in fourth, with Chaldean bitterly disappointing as he faded out of contention quickly.
Despite being sent off a rather unfancied 40-1, Good Guess’ success was far from a shock for Pasquier, who was winning the Group One event for the first time.
“It wasn’t really a surprise,” he told Sky Sports Racing. “This horse is still immature physically. When he won here in the Prix Djebel he was fantastic and then he still needed to mature and grow up.
Jockey Stephane Pasquier rode Good Guess to victory at Deauville (Nigel French/PA)
“Today the pace was fast enough for me, it is a fantastic victory against fantastic horses.
“I always wanted to ride him close to the pace, but he was slow from the gates. Today was a race where we go straight so I had plenty of time to choose my place and that helped me a lot.”
Pasquier also believes the winner will prove versatile in terms of distance as the season progresses as he expressed his delight at returning to the big-race winner’s enclosure.
He added: “He can do less and can do more, he is fantastic and can do everything.
“This race is always won by the English and I’m happy to still be riding good horses and doing my job. At my age it is not easy in France and I’m very happy. I’m riding with passion.”
Chappet said: “Good Guess has always been a very good horse. In the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains, he was very unlucky as he dwelt in the gates. I think he deserved better. He ran well on his last outing. Today, he’s was back at a course which he likes, and where he has already tasted group success.
“The advantage of races run on a straight course is that the best horses win because they’re selective. Going forward, we could be tempted to run him in the Prix Maurice de Gheest or the Prix Jacques le Marois.
“These are pertinent questions which need some thought.”
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Chaldean and Westover, two of the standout performers of recent seasons for the powerhouse Juddmonte operation, will again bid to carry the famous silks of the late Khalid Abdullah with distinction this weekend.
Trained by Andrew Balding and Ralph Beckett respectively, both colts are Group One victors – and Classic winners to boot.
Last year was a big one for Westover, finishing third in the Derby before taking the Irish Derby, while Chaldean picked up the Dewhurst and carried on where he left off this term with victory in the 2000 Guineas, after an unfortunate blip on leaving the stalls in the Greenham.
Frankie Dettori celebrates 2000 Guineas glory with Chaldean (Nigel French/PA)
A son of Frankel, Chaldean was last seen occupying the runner-up spot behind Irish Guineas hero Paddington in the St James’s Palace Stakes and comes back to seven furlongs for Sunday’s Prix Jean Prat at Deauville, an event that has invariably been kind to British and Irish-trained runners of late.
With Frankie Dettori suspended, former champion Oisin Murphy rides in a race that features Newmarket second Hi Royal (Kevin Ryan), Craven winner Indestructible (Karl Burke), high-class filly Meditate (Aidan O’Brien) and St James’s Palace third Charyn (Roger Varian).
“Andrew was happy and Oisin was happy on Wednesday morning, so they hit the button to supplement, which would suggest his well-being is where they want it to be,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for Juddmonte.
“We’re looking forward to it and you’d be hopeful, but it’s a deep race. Kevin Ryan’s horse is a good horse, Karl Burke’s horse is smart and you can never discount Aidan O’Brien, that’s for sure.
“The weather is good and I think they’re calling the ground good to soft. I’m not sure what watering they’ll do or whether it will dry out.
“He’s a Dewhurst winner over seven furlongs and a multiple Group-race winner over that distance, so hopefully that won’t inconvenience him.
“Oisin is a top-class rider and I’m sure he can jump into any situation and swim rather than sinking. He knows the horse and has ridden him plenty at home so I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
A day earlier and Westover is also in top-level action across the Channel, for the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.
Westover enjoyed his finest hour so far in the Irish Derby (Niall Carson/PA)
With the exception of a below-par effort when favourite for the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Westover – another son of Frankel – has done little wrong in his career to date. His two runs so far in this campaign have resulted in him finishing second to Japanese superstar Equinox in the Dubai Turf at Meydan and occupying the same position before Emily Upjohn in the Coronation Cup at Epsom.
“You’d like to think he’ll hard to beat, to be fair,” Mahon said.
“He’s had a nice break since Epsom, he’s coming in good form, it’s a small field and he has a pacemaker there to make sure there’s a bit of pace in it.
“We’d like to think that he’s going to take the opportunity.
“It’s always in the back of your mind (that he can get worked up beforehand). He did in Ascot last year, but in Dubai it wasn’t really the same as it was his first run of the year in a new environment and he was fresh.
“Hopefully Ascot was a one-off isolated incident and he’ll be fine on Saturday.”
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Oisin Murphy will partner Chaldean as he heads to France this weekend for the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville.
The Andrew Balding-trained Frankel colt was last seen finishing second to Paddington in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, prior to which he was an impressive winner of the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in early May.
Paddington is now the Coral-Eclipse favourite and could step up to a mile and a quarter Sandown on Saturday, whereas Chaldean will return to a seven-furlong trip in the Deauville Group One on Sunday.
Frankie Dettori, who has been aboard for Chaldean’s last five starts, is unable to take to take the ride as he is serving a suspension for careless riding at the Royal meeting.
Murphy, who is Balding’s principal rider, will therefore take the reins at the weekend having ridden the Juddmonte-owned three-year-old several times before at home.
Chaldean, who is headed to Deauville (Mike Egerton/PA)
Barry Mahon, racing manager to Juddmonte, said: “Obviously Frankie is not around this weekend, which is unfortunate, but what can we do?
“It’s disappointing, but we’re in good shape and Andrew is happy with him.
“We’ll kick on and if he’s happy with him tomorrow morning after he does a little bit of work, he’ll be on track for Sunday.
“Oisin has ridden him at home plenty. He’ll sit on him again tomorrow. I know he’s never ridden him on the track, but he knows the horse well and he’s an integral part of Andrew’s team, so it is nice that he can get aboard on Sunday.
“He is a Dewhurst winner and not short of speed and Frankie’s first words when he got off him at Ascot were, ‘jeez, he has got lots of speed’, and we threw the July Cup out there for a while and we didn’t think that was the right thing to do.
Chaldean (pink silks) finishing second behind Paddington at Royal Ascot (John Walton/PA)
“Seven furlongs looks a good spot for him and he is in good shape and hopefully it will work out.
“He’s versatile. His pedigree is all speed, his two-year-old form is all seven furlongs, so I think trip-wise he is fine, seven to a mile. I thought after the Guineas he’d stretch out a little bit, but I’m not so sure now. We’ll have to see how the year progresses.”
Also heading for Deauville for the same race is Kevin Ryan’s Hi Royal, second behind Chaldean in the Guineas and third behind Paddington and his stablemate Cairo in the Irish equivalent of the race at the Curragh.
His Newmarket run came at a huge price of 125-1, but he was an 11-2 chance in Ireland once his ability had been proven in a Classic.
Adam Ryan, the trainer’s son and his assistant, said: “Hi Royal will go to the Prix Jean Prat on Sunday. He is in great order. He was never in at Ascot, so he is nice and freshened up since his run in the Irish Guineas.
Chaldean (left) winning the 2000 Guineas ahead of Hi Royal (Nigel French/PA)
“Obviously that form has worked out extremely well, because Paddington has probably announced himself as the leading three-year-old. I think we would have been second to him, had he not received a bump.
“His form is rock solid and it will be nice to hope that he can have his day in the sun.
“I think he is pretty versatile ground-wise. He seems to act on anything and is a fine-moving horse. You probably don’t want extremes with him, but I don’t think he’d shy away from very much either.
“I believe James Doyle will be riding him. He has ridden Group One winners for us and Mr (Jaber) Abdullah (owner).”
Beyond Deauville, there will be some consideration as to which path Hi Royal takes throughout the rest of the season, with the horse a year younger than stablemate and fellow miler Triple Time.
"I was thrilled with my horse. I hope he'll improve from the race" 😊
“It is quite difficult to say what plans will be for Hi Royal, as he is in the same mile division as Triple Time and you get to that point where the three-year-olds have to take on the older horses,” Ryan said.
“Again, it is something you have to sit down and discuss with connections and make the best plan possible.
“It is hard enough to win these races, you don’t want to be taking each other on for the same yard as well. We’ll look forward to Sunday first and take things from there.”
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Chaldean could renew rivalry with his Royal Ascot conqueror Paddington in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood in August.
Last week’s St James’s Palace Stakes featured a mouthwatering clash between the two Classic winners, with 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean the marginal favourite over the Irish Guineas victor Paddington.
Frankie Dettori attempted to make all the running aboard Andrew Balding’s Juddmonte-owned colt, who had no answer when Aidan O’Brien’s charge quickened away from him in the straight.
There were almost four lengths between the pair at the line, but Juddmonte’s racing manager Barry Mahon would be happy to see a rematch under different circumstances.
Paddington is brilliant in the St James’s Palace Stakes for Ryan Moore and gives Aidan O’Brien his 83rd Royal @Ascot winner! pic.twitter.com/pDWaFHMynT
He said: “He ran a great race, to be fair. The winner is obviously a very a good horse who is improving quickly and we were happy with our lad.
“We would have probably liked a lead. The early pace was pretty frenetic, I think Frankie just felt he couldn’t get a breather into him the whole way and it just cost him when he turned in.
“All told it was a nice run and we look forward to taking on the winner again some day.”
O’Brien nominated the Sussex Stakes as an option for Paddington in the immediate aftermath of his Ascot triumph and Mahon also views the Group One contest as the “obvious” next port of call for Chaldean.
Frankie Dettori with Chaldean after winning the 2000 Guineas (David Davies/The Jockey Club)
“That looks the next obvious target. Let’s see how he bounces out of it, Andrew said to me the next day he was in good shape but I haven’t really touched base with him since,” Mahon added.
“He’s not in the Prix Jean Prat, but that could be an option if Andrew thought it was the right thing to do.
“He’s a top-class horse. I suppose it’s more disappointing when you’re beaten if you have an unbeaten record, but luckily we were beaten in our maiden and Frankie fell off him in the Greenham at Newbury!
“We know he’s still a nice horse to look forward to for the rest of the year.”
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Guineas hero Chaldean will bid to repeat his impressive Newmarket performance when he goes for the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.
The Andrew Balding-trained Frankel colt headed to the first Classic of the season with question marks having unshipped Frankie Dettori at the start in his intended tune-up in the Greenham at Newbury.
But he silenced the doubters in style on the Rowley Mile to claim 2000 Guineas glory as he showed all the qualities that made him such a formidable two-year-old last year. He now heads to Berkshire attempting to add to his impeccable CV.
Both Jim Bolger’s Poetic Flare and Charlie Appleby’s Coroebus have completed the 2000 Guineas/St James’s Palace double in the past two seasons and connections are not worried about Chaldean’s draw in stall one as he attempts to follow in their footsteps, tackling a round course for the first time.
“He’s pretty uncomplicated. He can jump and be handy and he can jump and take a pull. He’s a versatile horse when you look at his races,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.
“Last year at Doncaster he had a small field to contend with and had to make it, then Newmarket he settled in and took a lead, so he’s versatile and it will be great to see him back.
“The horse has never done anything wrong in his career to date and hopefully he can continue his good run. Andrew is happy, everyone at Kingsclere feels he is in the right place and we’re all excited for Tuesday.”
Frankie Dettori celebrates on Chaldean after winning the 2000 Guineas (David Davies for The Jockey Club/PA)
Chaldean is not the only Classic winner in the line-up as the red-hot contest also features Paddington, who claimed the Irish equivalent in good style at the Curragh.
The Siyouni colt will bid to give trainer Aidan O’Brien a record-extending ninth win in the one-mile Group One and said: “We’ve been happy with him since the Curragh and everything has gone well. He has progressed with every run.
“He won on good ground at the Curragh, we weren’t sure about the ground before the last day but he seemed to be very happy on it.”
John Gosden has won this three times in the last 10 years and alongside his son Thady is responsible for one of the most exciting prospects in the race, Mostabshir, who bounced back from a below-par performance in the Craven to show his class at York when bolting up by five lengths from a subsequent winner.
Mostabshir winning in style at York (Mike Egerton/PA)
“It’s a fascinating clash with the two Guineas winners,” said Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell.
“Our horse is very progressive but he’s going to need to be. So it will be interesting to see how he gets on.
“He’s worked very nicely (since York). He’s a very happy horse who enjoys life and enjoys his work and he looks in good shape. Hopefully whatever he is capable of, he will give his best wherever that fits in.”
Another horse on an upward curve and looking to make his mark at the highest level is the unbeaten Cicero’s Gift, who arrives on the back of an impressive display at Goodwood, and is one of two for Charlie Hills in this British Champions Series race alongside 2000 Guineas fourth Galeron.
“We did toy with the idea of running Cicero’s Gift in the Guineas as well (as Galeron), but wanted to keep a low profile with this race in mind,” said Hills.
“He took a bit of time to come to hand last year and is going to get better with age and experience – he might get further in time as well.
“He’s a good-looking chap, improving with each race but he is going into a Group One which will be a different experience.”
Isaac Shelby took advantage of Chaldean’s misfortune to scoop the Greenham back in April and went close to getting on the Classic honours board when denied by the barest of margins in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains.
Brian Meehan’s son of Night Of Thunder, who claimed the Superlative Stakes on home soil last season, brings added spice to a deep contest with his handler confident he has a top-class miler on his hands.
“I really think he has a huge future and I really think it is at a mile, even though we gave him the sprint entries,” said the Manton-based trainer.
“He is much more relaxed in his work since Paris and you can see him maturing. He’s an exciting horse to have but there is nowhere to hide at this level.”
Paul and Oliver Cole’s Royal Scotsman finished third at Newmarket in the Guineas but has a point to prove following a disappointing effort at the Curragh, while Charyn (Roger Varian) and Indestructible (Karl Burke) complete the crack group of nine heading to post.
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There is no disputing a huge week awaits Andrew Balding at Royal Ascot. But equally it is very much a feeling of “good pressure…the pressure you want” for the Kingsclere trainer, as he prepares to send out a team captained by Classic winner Chaldean.
Balding arrives in Berkshire with a string in fine form, boasting a near 20 per cent strike-rate in the last two weeks, and with leading chances in two of the real showpiece events of the meeting.
The 2000 Guineas hero Chaldean will head his formidable team, as he takes on Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Paddington and unbeaten Cicero’s Gift in a mouthwatering St James’s Palace Stakes on Tuesday.
THE KING OF THE ROWLEY MILE HAS BEEN CROWNED! 🤴
Chaldean streaks away to win the Qipco 2000 Guineas Stakes 🏆
“Obviously, we were thrilled with his Guineas win. That was his main objective for the early part of the season and this will be his second target. This, we always hoped, would be the plan,” said Balding.
“He had a little break after Newmarket. He has freshened up well and his work has been as solid as ever and we’re looking forward to it.
“There’s pressure, obviously, he is wearing the crown at the moment and that gives you added pressure.”
Balding will run Berkshire Shadow in the curtain-raising Queen Anne Stakes, the first of three Group One races on the opening afternoon.
Beaten just under two lengths in a bunched finish in the St James’s Palace last year, he opened his four-year-old campaign with a Listed win at Wolverhampton and another success in the valuable All-Weather Mile Championship at Newcastle.
Bookmakers appear to be overlooking the Dark Angel gelding, making him a general 33-1 chance.
“He ran well when finishing third in the Lockinge next time,” said Balding, as he ran through his team sitting on a bench opposite the weighing room at Newbury, where he waited to saddle a three-year-old. “We think he’d have an each-way chance again.
Berkshire Shadow is already a Royal Ascot winner (Steven Paston/PA)
“It is a tough division, but he is a high-class horse, who won a Coventry a couple of years ago.”
Dante Stakes winner The Foxes, who subsequently failed to see out the Derby trip, will not be among the yard’s runners, although Oaks eighth Sea Of Roses will take her place in the Ribblesdale.
Kempton’s Magnolia Stakes winner Foxes Tales and Notre Belle Bete, who has placed three times this year and landed over £100,000 when scoring in the All-Weather Easter Classic at Newcastle, are Balding’s contenders in the Wolferton Stakes.
“He (Foxes Tales) has a (3lb) penalty. He is in the Wolferton.” said Balding. “We have Notre Belle Bete in that too. He’s had a great season.
“We run some two-year-olds, but we don’t quite know what to expect there,” admitted Balding, before citing two horses who may fly under the radar in Imperial Fighter and Sandrine.
Sandrine could be overlooked, according to her trainer (Adam Davy/PA)
The former was beaten two and a half lengths by Native Trail in the Irish 2,000 Guineas last year, but has not hit the same heights subsequently.
Fifth to Regal Reality in the Diomed at Epsom on his last start, Balding feels he has started to come to hand again.
“Imperial Fighter will go in the Royal Hunt Cup,” he added. “He was third in the Irish Guineas last year but has just taken his time to find a bit of form this year, but I’m happy with him now. I think he’d have an each-way chance.”
Sandrine, owned by Kirsten Rausing, is a dual Group Two winner who landed the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood last July.
She won the six-furlong Albany on heavy ground two years ago and is equally effective on a quicker surface.
Andrew Balding has plenty of big guns to fire this week (Simon Marper/PA)
Having run over seven furlongs and a mile last season, she dropped back to six furlongs at Salisbury last month and was beaten a length and a half. She is a 16-1 chance for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes on Saturday, yet her trainer remains hopeful.
Balding said: “Sandrine could be overlooked in the Jubilee, because she is high class.
“The return to sprinting will suit her. She was a bit disappointing at Salisbury, but I think there were legitimate excuses for that.
“She seems in great nick at home and she goes there, as long as the ground is not too quick, with what we think is a great each-way chance.”
By then, he will know whether it has been a successful Royal meeting or not, particularly since he has another plum chance with Coltrane, who is a general 11-4 chance for the feature on Ladies Day – the Gold Cup.
Coltrane holds a favourite’s chance in the week’s feature (David Davies/PA)
With Aidan O’Brien’s crack stayer Kyprios unable to defend his crown through injury, Balding feels Mick and Janice Mariscotti’s six-year-old – who won the Ascot Stakes, Esher Stakes and Doncaster Gold Cup last season – has every chance of backing up his recent Sagaro success as he steps back up to two and a half miles.
“It looks an open Gold Cup,” Balding said. “The good thing about Coltrane is we know he stays and we know he loves the track. That has go to be a massive plus.
“He seems in great heart and I couldn’t be more thrilled with his Sarago win. I thought that was his best performance ever.”
Acknowledging what is to come, he said: “Of course there’s pressure. But it is a good pressure. This is the pressure you want.
“You are always happy if you get just one winner at the meeting, so fingers crossed.”
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Modern Games will face 11 rivals as he bids for a sixth Group One win in Tuesday’s Queen Anne Stakes, the opening event of Royal Ascot 2023.
Charlie Appleby’s charge struck at the highest level in France, Canada and America last year and secured his first Group One on home soil when winning the Lockinge at Newbury last month.
He had the Richard Hannon-trained Chindit behind him that day and he reopposes along with the third Berkshire Shadow, fifth Mutasaabeq, sixth-placed Lusail and the seventh Light Infantry.
Inspiral was impressive at the meeting last year (David Davies/PA)
Modern Games’ main rival appears to be the John and Thady Gosden-trained Inspiral, winner of the Coronation Stakes at this meeting last year and making her seasonal bow here.
Angel Bleu, Cash, Pogo and Triple Time complete the field along with Appleby’s second runner Native Trail.
Chaldean and Paddington provide a mouth-watering clash in the St James’s Palace Stakes.
Winners of the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Irish equivalent for Andrew Balding and Aidan O’Brien respectively, they are the star names among a nine-strong field.
Chaldean will be ridden by Frankie Dettori at Ascot (Mike Egerton/PA)
Isaac Shelby, who was narrowly beaten in the French Guineas, represents Brian Meehan with Charlie Hill’s Cicero’s Gift an interesting contender as he makes the leap to top-class company after winning each of his three career starts.
Hills also runs Galeron, with Charyn, Indestructible, Mostabshir and Royal Scotsman making up the field.
A high-class field of 19 goes to post in the King’s Stand Stakes, with Highfield Princess currently heading the market for John Quinn.
Highfield Princess tackles the King’s Stand Stakes (Mike Egerton/PA)
Australian raider Coolangatta, trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, is also a popular pick for the five-furlong affair, with her compatriot Cannonball another towards the head of the betting for Peter and Paul Snowden.
The Karl Burke-trained pair of Dramatised and Marshman are in the line up along with the likes of Manaccan, Twilight Calls and Twilight Gleaming.
George Boughey’s Asadna is one of 22 for the Coventry Stakes with Willie Mullins holding leading claims in both the 20-runner Ascot Stakes and the Copper Horse Stakes via Bring On The Night and Vauban, with the latter one of a maximum field of 16.
Frankie Dettori will ride Saga for the King and Queen in the Wolferton Stakes, with the Gosden-trained runner having come within a head of victory for the late Queen at last year’s meeting.
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Brilliant miler Modern Games, popular sprinter Highfield Princess and 2000 Guineas heroes Chaldean and Paddington are just some of the stars set to be in action on the opening day of Royal Ascot.
As usual the five-day extravaganza starts with a bang, with the Queen Anne Stakes the traditional curtain-raiser.
The Charlie Appleby-trained Modern Games, a dual Breeders’ Cup winner and successful on his reappearance in the Lockinge at Newbury last month, is the marginal favourite for the Queen Anne over John and Thady Gosden’s top-class filly Inspiral, who is set to make her belated reappearance.
— Champions Series (@ChampionsSeries) May 20, 2023
Appleby has a second string to his bow in the form of Native Trail, while Richard Hannon’s Chindit will renew rivalry with Modern Games after finishing best of the rest at Newbury.
David Simcock’s pair of Cash and Light Infantry and Mutasaabeq from Charlie Hills’ yard also feature among 13 confirmations.
The second Group One on Tuesday afternoon is the King’s Stand Stakes, for which John Quinn’s mare Highfield Princess heads the market.
The six-year-old enjoyed a fantastic campaign in 2023, completing a hat-trick of wins at the top level, and she can be expected to improve from her comeback second at York last month.
Highfield Princess winning last season’s Nunthorpe at York (Mike Egerton/PA)
Karl Burke’s Dramatised and John Ryan’s Manaccan are other contenders for the home team, as is the Archie Watson-trained Bradsell who has been supplemented for the race.
A strong international challenge includes a pair of Australian runners in Coolangatta and Cannonball, both of whom were put through their paces at Ascot on Wednesday morning.
James McDonald was one of the leading riders at Royal Ascot last year with three winners, headlined by Nature Strip’s dominant display in the King’s Stand, and the New Zealand-born rider is confident Coolangatta has what it takes to get him back in the famous winner’s circle.
“Royal Ascot is one of the greatest weeks in racing. I definitely circle it every year and, if I am lucky enough to come here, then I am on the plane straight away,” said the jockey.
“With the racing and the whole atmosphere, it is one of the best carnivals in the world. It is hard to get rides at Royal Ascot but I should have maybe 11 or 12 rides over the week.”
Reflecting on Coolangatta’s workout, McDonald added: “She handled the track beautifully. She ticked a lot of boxes and I was delighted the way she stretched and extended.
“I let her breeze through the line and she pulled up extremely well. She is a strong five-furlong horse and an extremely talented filly.
“She is a dual Group One winner and the quality she beat that day in the Lightning was simply sensational – any of those sprinters could travel anywhere around the world and be competitive.
“Nature Strip was a champion racehorse but Coolangatta is getting there and I have no doubt she will run well on Tuesday. This morning has given me a lot of confidence.”
Wesley Ward’s American challenger Twilight Gleaming is also on the list of 20 still in contention.
Frankie Dettori celebrates winning the 2000 Guineas on Chaldean (David Davies/The Jockey Club)
Perhaps the most mouthwatering of the three Group One races up for grabs on day one is the St James’s Palace Stakes, which is set to stage a clash between Classic victors Chaldean and Paddington.
Andrew Balding’s Chaldean provided Frankie Dettori with victory in his final 2000 Guineas at Newmarket last month, while Paddington won the Irish equivalent for Aidan O’Brien.
French Guineas runner-up Isaac Shelby (Brian Meehan) adds further intrigue, as does the presence of Al Riffa (Joseph O’Brien), not seen since winning last season’s National Stakes, as well as progressive colts Cicero’s Gift (Charlie Hills) and Mostabshir (John and Thady Gosden).
A total of 32 juveniles have been entered for the Group Two Coventry Stakes, with George Boughey’s Asadna, O’Brien’s River Tiber and Ward’s Fandom three of the leading contenders.
The 43 entries for the two-and-a-half-mile Ascot Stakes include last year’s runner-up Bring On The Night, whose trainer Willie Mullins also has top-class hurdler Vauban as one of 56 entered for the Copper Horse Handicap, with Ryan Moore booked to ride both.
Sandwiching those two races is the Listed Wolferton Stakes, which has attracted 23 possibles.
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Andrew Balding has no concerns about the prospect of Chaldean tackling quicker ground at Royal Ascot.
The Dewhurst and 2000 Guineas winner remains on target for what looks a stellar renewal of the St James’s Palace Stakes on the first day of the meeting, June 20.
For Balding, with the Guineas already in the bag, he can approach the meeting with the pressure slightly lifted.
“The Classics are a big deal, particularly the Guineas. To get it early in the season is a huge effort,” he said.
Frankie Dettori wins his LAST EVER QIPCO 2000 Guineas! 😮
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) May 6, 2023
“Having won the Dewhurst, you spend the whole winter with high expectations. You then get there and it was more of a relief than a feeling of ecstasy. It was a great one to get on the board and everyone was rightfully very happy with themselves.
“The St James’s Palace is the intended target. Chances are he is going to have to encounter some faster ground at some stage. I haven’t got a concern myself; it was quite fast when he won at York and I think at Ascot, the round track there should really play to his strengths, we’re looking forward to it.”
Chaldean is one of two major chances for the trainer in two of the feature races as he will also saddle Coltrane, the Sagaro Stakes winner, in the Gold Cup on the Thursday.
Balding told Tattersalls: “He’s a bit of a star, he wasn’t an expensive yearling (50,000 guineas). He has been a pleasant surprise from day one in everything he’s done. He looked stone cold useless as a two-year-old to be honest. He could hardly get up to the top of the gallop and just improved and improved.
Coltrane is heading for the Gold Cup (David Davies/PA)
“He had improved with racing but had a setback at the beginning of his four-year-old career. He missed a lot and the way he’s come back is an absolute tribute to his steel. He’s just a fabulous horse to train and I thought he was very impressive in the Sagaro Stakes.
“If he can produce that sort of a performance at Ascot on Gold Cup day, then he’s got to be a player.
“I think the last run suggests he is better than ever. I thought he was very impressive. He put in a similar performance at Sandown last year where he looked very good, and we were just thrilled with the way he won at Ascot.
“It was obvious that we didn’t need to be running again before the Gold Cup because there’s a busy time after that as well so hopefully, if we can get him there in the same form, he should have a great chance.”
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Qipco 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean has taken his exertions at Newmarket on Saturday in his stride, according to connections.
The son of Frankel powered through rain-softened ground to land the mile Classic on what was, in effect, his three-year-old debut.
Having unshipped Frankie Dettori coming out of the stalls and running loose on his intended prep in the Greenham at Newbury, the frustration turned to delight for the 52-year-old Italian, who was riding in his 29th and final renewal of the race.
Having kept things simple, always close to the pace, Chaldean was sent for home early and never looked like he would be challenged once runner-up Hi Royal had started to empty.
It was a fourth success in the race for Dettori and a second in four years for trainer Andrew Balding, who had struck with Kameko in 2020.
Twelve years after the mighty Frankel had carried the famous Juddmonte green, pink and white colours to success in the race, his son took the laurels by a length and three-quarters.
European racing manager for the operation, Barry Mahon, said any celebrations were muted.
“The head’s not too bad. We had to go racing on Sunday, so the celebrations couldn’t be too extravagant, but hopefully there will be time to celebrate at some point,” he said. “Hopefully we’re not finished yet. We have a few more chances along the way.”
Chaldean will remain over a mile and head to the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot for his next start, with Paddy Power making him the 4-5 favourite to triumph in the Group One showpiece on June 20.
“He’s taken it well, he’s good,” added Mahon. “Andrew was happy with him when I spoke to him yesterday. He said he was quite tired on Sunday, but he said yesterday morning he was in good form again.
“The ground was very soft, yet on the Friday meeting, it was good to firm. They watered the ground in case the showers missed.
“I stayed the far side of the town and on Friday night, I promise you, there was a monsoon.
“The next morning I was talking to (trainer) David Simcock, who was on the racecourse side of town and he said they had rain, but nothing extravagant – a couple of millimetres. It is such a funny area.
“But he handled the ground, although it wouldn’t be his ideal conditions.”
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No one does Hollywood scripts quite like Frankie Dettori, but even by his standards winning aboard Chaldean on his final ride in the Qipco 2000 Guineas was something out of a fairytale.
It is almost five months since the 52-year-old announced that 2023 would be the year he will bring the curtain down on the most glittering of riding careers that has spanned nearly four decades.
Dettori has won just about every big race going in every corner of the globe during that time, but Newmarket has for so long been the place he calls home, so if this is to be his final Classic success, it was a fitting place to do it.
“I’m not dreaming am I? I’m feeling everything,” he said afterwards.
“It is just so surreal. I feel like I’m dreaming. It is a bit dark, like your dreams are. Emotionally, it is my last one and to win it is amazing. Now it is sinking in and the tears are coming.”
As the winner of last season’s Dewhurst Stakes, the Andrew Balding-trained Chaldean had an obvious chance of giving the popular Italian a fourth 2000 Guineas success.
Admittedly his season got off to an inauspicious start, with Dettori unceremoniously dumped on the Newbury turf not long after the gates opened in the Greenham Stakes a fortnight ago, but as he so often has over the years, Dettori got it right on the day that mattered most.
Frankie Dettori and Chaldean return to the Newmarket winner’s enclosure (Nigel French/PA)
He added: “After what happened at Newbury I thought ‘at least stay on this time’!
“Andrew always had faith in the horse and he’s done nothing wrong. He doesn’t overdo himself in the morning and the rain didn’t bother me. The only thing I was bothered about was that perhaps I didn’t have anything to race with.”
Never too far off the pace, Chaldean made light of the testing conditions and once he had seen off the sustained challenge of 125-1 shot Hi Royal, it was clear Dettori’s mount had the race in safe keeping.
The grey Suffolk skies ensured most in attendance got a good soaking, but that did not stop the majority hotfooting it to the winner’s enclosure to give the rider a deserved rapturous reception, after which he treated them to his trademark flying dismount.
Dettori might have been there, done it and got the t-shirt, but he was left fighting back the tears in the immediate aftermath.
He said: “Let me savour the moment. My emotions are all over the place. I don’t know whether I want to cry or laugh.
“I thought I had a chance, but when I crossed that line my emotions were all over the place.
“I’m happy and I want to cry. My son is here and my wife is watching at home. Of course it’s my last one and winning it makes it sweeter.
“I couldn’t have written a better story myself. It’s very special and I’m looking forward to watching it again and reliving the moment.”
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