The Kingsclere stable run by Andrew Balding and famous for being home to Mill Reef has found its way back to the top echelons of racing in the past few years thinks to the classic-winning exploits of Guineas winner Kameko and multiple Group 1 winner Alcohol Free.
The list of recent Group 1 winners was further expanded at Newmarket on Saturday as the Frankel sired colt Chaldean took the Darley Dewhurst Stakes, the UK’s premier two year old prize.
Owners Juddmonte were doubly represented in the race with Chaldean playing second fiddle in the ante-post market to the Sir Michael Stoute trained favorite Nostrum, an unbeaten son of Kingman who was bidding to give Stoute only his second win in the race and his first in 36 years.
On the morning of the race market support for Chaldean was strong. He was coming into the race with arguably the best form, having won both York’s Acomb Stakes and Doncaster’s Champagne Stakes. His case was further strengthened when, in the race immediately prior to the Dewhurst, Silver Knott, who Chaldean had beaten easily at Doncaster, won the Group 3 Autumn Stakes. That win fuelled further support for Chaldean and as they went to the post he and Nostrum were 5/2 joint favourites.
In the race itself Chaldean, under veteran jockey Frankie Dettori, was sent to the front from the outset and was never headed, holding on narrowly from Royal Scotsman, who’d come from the back of the 7 runner field. Nostrum didn’t have the pace to go with the pair in front but stayed on in third while Godolphin’s Naval Power, who started third favourite, was disappointing in fifth.
Speaking after the race Balding had his sights set on a return to Newmarket in spring for the 2,000 Guineas. “He should go on next year and certainly stay a mile, so we’ve got lots to look forward to,” he said, adding “We’ll see how he’s training in the spring, but I think I’d be comfortable going straight for the Guineas – I can’t be making that decision at the moment, though.”
Dettori had endured a fall earlier in the afternoon but bounced back to land yet another top prize. He was also supportive of the trainer’s Guineas plans, “At the moment I’d say a mile is no problem. He’s neat and compact and handled the dip well. He’s a proper Guineas horse, and they can dream now for next year.”
The win bookended an amazing week for Juddmonte’s star sire Frankel whose daughter Alpinista had won the Prix de L’Arc De Triomphe the preceding Sunday and whose stock had dominated the Book 1 sale at Tattersalls during the week.
