Balding’s 2023 Melbourne Cup hope for Ebor victory
England-based trainer Andrew Balding has fond memories of Flemington and he is hoping his emerging stayer Scampi can set him on a path to Melbourne once again after the Ebor Handicap at York on Saturday.
Balding achieved a career highlight in 2013 when be brought Side Glance to Australia in a visit that climaxed with winning the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m), now the Champions Stakes, after finishing just outside of the placings in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) a week earlier.
Though Scampi is looking at distances well beyond those feature events, Balding says that a win in the Ebor over 2800-metres will firm the determination to have a starter in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 7.
With a rich history of Melbourne Cup raiders coming through the race, the Ebor has for the first time been designated a ‘golden ticket’ event.
“Side Glance’s win in Melbourne is still one of my favourites,” Balding said before saddling a subsequent winner at York on Yorkshire Oaks Day.
“My mother bred him and he was a bit of a warhorse. It was a great race to win.”
Nominated for the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) together with having Melbourne Cup desires, Scampi goes to York after winning the Shergar Cup Challenge over 2400-metres at Ascot a fortnight ago.
“He’s a hardy and improving stayer”, Balding said of the five-year-old gelding.
“He does need to be winning it to earn a trip there but if that was the case then he would be more than entitled to go over for the Spring Carnival.
“He ran very well in the John Smiths Cup (1900m) over shorter, so hoping that he’ll take the opportunity here over further.
“I think the Ebor will be a very good trial for the Melbourne Cup with the timing perfect for that first quarantine.”
Scampi is rated an $11 chance for the Ebor with the John and Thady Gosden-trained Sweet William the $4 favourite in the field of 24 runners.
“The favourite has been running on very different conditions,” Balding noted.
“There’ll be a lot of other horses in the race and you need luck in a field like that.”
The hopes of, literally, thousands of owners in the ‘microshare’ syndicate racing Scampi will be riding with jockey Jason Hart.
For Balding, however, it could be a chance to add a moment he still remembers glowingly a decade on.
“Scampi is a grand horse and he is just the type to thrive on travelling so Melbourne is very much on our minds.”
More Racing News
Vein Girl impresses in rich Magic Millions The Debut win
Vein Girl has put herself in contention for next month’s $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic with a strong win on debut under lights at the Gold Coast’s first night meeting. The Chris and Corey Munce-trained Vein Girl was sent out the $3.50 favourite with betting sites in Friday night’s $250,000...
Pallaton races into 2025 Golden Slipper contention
Pallaton has stamped himself as a two-year-old colt to watch heading into 2025 with an impressive debut win at Randwick. Trained by Michael Freedman and ridden by Tommy Berry, Pallaton raced to a 2-3/4-length victory in Saturday’s Shinzo @ Coolmore Plate (1000m) and firmed to be among the early favourites in Golden Slipper...
Arriving Home set to target the Magic Millions Guineas 2025
Trainer Bjorn Baker would love to get lightly raced filly Arriving Home into the Magic Millions Guineas next month after the three-year-old remained unbeaten with a tough win at Randwick. Stepping up from a midweek city maiden win at Warwick Farm on debut earlier this month into Saturday’s Petaluma Handicap (1300m) – a...
Goldman digs deep in the Pakenham Cup 2024
One time Melbourne Cup favourite, Goldman has notched up his fourth win in Australia, leading throughout to take the Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) under Beau Mertens. Jumping an $8.50 chance, Goldman’s staying prowess was on show as he kicked back to deny Grand Pierro ($19) by a long head, with $3.30 betting site...
Here To Shock gives Lindsay Park quinella in The Supernova
Ben, Will & Jd Hayes had the numbers two and three seed to knock off race-favourite Nadal in Saturday’s $1 million The Supernova (1400m) at Pakenham and did just that, with Here To Shock, ridden by Daniel Stackhouse, edging stablemate Arkansaw Kid in a thrilling stable quinella. Here To Shock ($4.60) trailed a strong...
The Kings horse Gilded Water wins at Randwick
Imported stayer Gilded Water has made it back-to-back victories in Australia and has given his owner, His Majesty King Charles III, a winner at Royal Randwick. The King’s racing manager John Warren was on track at Randwick on Saturday as the Ciaron Maher-trained Gilded Water raced to a convincing victory in the...
Kevin Daffy happy to wait with Oh Too Good ahead of VOBIS Gold Bullion
Trainer Kevin Daffy says there is still plenty of time to chase the big league with his lightly-raced mare Oh Too Good. A winner of four of her seven starts with three runner-up finishes as well, Oh Too Hard runs in the VOBIS Gold Bullion (1400m) at Pakenham on Saturday. Daffy was sounded...
Bedggood chases rich The Supernova prize
Two rising nine-year-olds, both resuming, will give Gavin Bedggood a potential shot at his biggest payday as a trainer. A former jockey, Bedggood has been plying his trade as a trainer since 2017 and during the recent Melbourne Spring Carnival prepared Mornington Glory to land his first Group 1 success. Just Folk and Windstorm, both...
Collett hoping for Dream Brisbane raid in BJ McLachlan Stakes and Magic Millions Falvelon
A pair of promising two-year-olds from the Ciaron Maher stable have lured top Sydney hoop Jason Collett to Queensland for back-to-back meetings this weekend. Collett is heading north to partner filly Life After Love in the $250,000 Magic Millions The Debut (1000m) at the Gold Coast on Friday night and her Maher-trained stablemate...
Theodore aims to keep strike-rate going in Christmas Cup at Murray Bridge
Trainer Stephen Theodore is looking to Divine Fire keeping his impressive strike-rate going when she shoots for a winning hat-trick on Saturday. After victories at Morphettville and Gawler, Divine Fire runs in the Christmas Cup (1600m) at Murray Bridge with Jacob Opperman in the saddle. Since returning to training ranks at the start of...