Tag Archive for: Never So Brave

Never So Brave hits Group One target in City of York

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Never So Brave successfully graduated to the highest level in a pulsating renewal of the Sky Bet City of York Stakes, with hot favourite Rosallion only fourth.

Never So Brave joined Andrew Balding following Sir Michael Stoute’s retirement and since finishing a close second on his stable debut at Chester, the four-year-old had dominated the Buckingham Palace at Royal Ascot in June before following up in the Group Two Summer Mile at the Berkshire track last month.

He was 7-2 to complete his hat-trick in a race carrying Group One status for the first time, with Richard Hannon’s Rosallion an even-money shot after being beaten a nose and neck in the Queen Anne and Sussex Stakes respectively.

With Quinault setting a strong gallop from the off, the two market principals were given time to find their feet before being delivered and it was Never So Brave who hit the front under Oisin Murphy heading inside the final furlong.

Rosallion did his best to reel him in, with Maranoa Charlie and and Lake Forest also arriving late on the scene to set up a grandstand finish, but Never So Brave clung on to beat the latter by half a length, with Maranoa Charlie and Rosallion close up behind in third and fourth.

Anna-Lisa Balding, assistant to her husband, said: “We’re absolutely delighted, it was a wonderful ride, and thank you Sir Michael Stoute who has been very kind to us.

“He’s matured through the year and Andrew has done a pretty good job, I suppose!

“He ran over a mile last time and was dropping back to seven furlongs today. He has got a few quirks and I think as a colt he probably wouldn’t be as good as he is now – I think the gelding operation has been the making of him.”

The Queen presents the trophy to Oisin Murphy after Never So Brave's York success
The Queen presents the trophy to Oisin Murphy after Never So Brave’s York success (Richard Sellers/PA)

Philip Robinson, racing manager for winning owner Saeed Suhail, said: “Slowly, and bit by bit, he’s improved until we’ve got to the Group One.

“It’s been absolutely perfect. Andrew has taken his time and gradually climbed the ladder and now the horse has got so much confidence, which he needed to win today.

“He was tough. I was quite confident once he got to the front as it looked to me like he was fighting everything off and we know he gets a mile, which is an added bonus when you get into a tight finish over seven furlongs as you know they’re going to keep going.”

Never So Brave is 10-1 from 16-1 with Coral for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day at Ascot. When asked whether that was a likely target, Robinson added: “It’s a possibility. We’ll have to sit down with the owner and trainer and see where we go next, but I’d imagine he’ll stay in training next year as well.”

More thought to be given to Thunder target

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Which race – or even which trip – More Thunder runs over next has still to be decided following his last-gasp win in the Bunbury Cup on Saturday.

The four-year-old, who  moved to William Haggas following the retirement of Sir Michael Stoute, has found a new niche for himself sprinting this season.

Narrowly denied in the Wokingham, Tom Marquand got there on the line on Saturday and he holds of host of entries throughout the summer.

“Tom got there just in time and I have to say I don’t think he’d have won if he hadn’t changed sides, it made a difference,” said owner Saeed Suhail’s racing manager Bruce Raymond.

More Thunder (left) just gets the better of Aalto
More Thunder (left) just gets the better of Aalto (Joe Giddens/PA Wire)

“Of course we were very happy and now we need to decide what the best next step will be.

“We’re all guessing about what his best trip will be. His owner told me he felt he’d have won the July Cup! I’m not so sure as it doesn’t work out like that. I just feel seven furlongs might be his trip but that might be the easier route.

“I’ve had a word with Tom who feels six might be best for him. You can guarantee if we run over six next and he gets beat everyone will say ‘why didn’t you run him over seven?’.

“He’s in all the right races and handicaps are out now – I just don’t know where we’ll run him.”

On the same afternoon another former Stoute inmate, Andrew Balding’s Never So Brave, took the step up to Group company in his stride at Ascot in the Summer Mile but his next step is also undecided.

“Never So Brave has taken that next step already but when Jamie (Spencer on Point Lynas) looked like he’d slipped the field, it was an awful feeling,” said Raymond.

“I thought David (Probert) was absolutely brilliant on him not to panic though. It’s about 100 years since I was riding and I remember that feeling but when I spoke to him, he said turning in he felt he had everything covered so he was confident.

“He’s another who’s versatile trip-wise and who is to say he wouldn’t get further in time, although there’s no need to try it yet. I think he’ll get a mile and a quarter but thee’s no need to rush it.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do. He’s not in the Sussex but he is in the Lennox back over seven, so we’ll see.

“It was a good weekend, they’ve both come out of it well and now we need to start thinking about where they are going to go. The owner is a very patient man, he’s been well educated by Sir Michael.”

Provisional plans outlined for Never So Brave and More Thunder

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Never So Brave and More Thunder, who encountered contrasting fortunes at Royal Ascot, could both skip the bet365 Bunbury Cup.

The pair are owned by Saeed Suhail, with the Andrew Balding-trained Never So Brave winning the Buckingham Palace Stakes in style, while More Thunder just failed to reel in Get It in the Wokingham for William Haggas.

They are currently 4-1 joint-favourites for the Bunbury Cup with the sponsors, but Philip Robinson, Suhail’s racing manager, indicated both are likely to step out of handicaps.

“It was nice to see Never So Brave win and he’ll probably go to Goodwood for the seven-furlong race, the Lennox,” said Robinson.

“We had to split him and More Thunder up and we very nearly got the double.

“I wouldn’t be at all surprised if More Thunder steps up to seven furlongs next time. He was unfortunate and with one more stride he’d have got there.

“He was running over 10 furlongs last season for Sir Michael (Stoute), so we know he’ll get further. He’d probably get a mile, but I think William is happy to go over seven for the time being.

“His next race, I would think, would be a Group or a Listed race somewhere, he’s very keen to do that if we can.

“We’ve two nice horses for the rest of the season anyway.”