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Balding's Melbourne Cup hope for Ebor victory

Melbourne Cup ‘golden ticket’ on offer in Saturday’s Ebor Handicap at York.

Ten years ago: Side Glance winning the Longines Mackinnon Stakes
Ten years ago: Side Glance winning the Longines Mackinnon Stakes Picture: Racing and Sports

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."


Racing and Sports



York Saturday, 26th August 2023

1m6f TURF GOOD FIRM
GBP £484,250

Sky Bet Ebor Handicap (Heritage Handicap)

GBP £484,250
Age: 4yo and up Type: HCP
1m6f TURF GOOD FIRM
FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 9. ABSURDE (FR) 5yo G
FASTNET ROCK (AUS) - INCROYABLE (USA)
LANFRANCO DETTORI
WILLIE MULLINS
$8
9-7lbs
H O S SYNDICATE

Sales Information

2nd 15. SWEET WILLIAM (IRE) 4yo G
SEA THE STARS (IRE) - GALE FORCE (GB)
ROBERT HAVLIN
JOHN & THADY GOSDEN
$3.5
9-2lbs
NORMANDIE STUD LIMITED
3rd 1. LIVE YOUR DREAM (IRE) 6yo G
IFFRAAJ (GB) - DREAM BOOK (GB)
OISIN MURPHY
SAEED BIN SUROOR
$12
9-12lbs
GODOLPHIN
4th 17. EUCHEN GLEN (GB) 10yo G
AUTHORIZED (IRE) - JABBARA (IRE)
PAUL MULRENNAN
JIM GOLDIE
$26
8-13lbs
5th 21. BERKSHIRE ROCCO (FR) 6yo G
SIR PERCY (GB) - SUNNY AGAIN (GB)
CALLUM HUTCHINSON
ANDREW BALDING
$29
8-9lbs

Sales Information

6th 14. CAIUS CHORISTER (FR) 4yo F
GOLDEN HORN (GB) - CORPUS CHORISTER (FR)
KYLE STRYDOM
DAVID MENUISIER
$23
9-2lbs

Sales Information

7th 6. YASHIN (IRE) 4yo G
CHURCHILL (IRE) - MIRDHAK (GB)
SHANE FOLEY
MRS J HARRINGTON
$19
9-8lbs

Sales Information

8th 3. MORE FELONS (IRE) 4yo G
CHURCHILL (IRE) - PIVOTALIA (IRE)
CLIFFORD LEE
M F HARRIS
$15
9-9lbs

Sales Information

9th 23. POST IMPRESSIONIST (IRE) 4yo G
TEOFILO (IRE) - ISLAND REMEDE (GB)
ADAM FARRAGHER
WILLIAM HAGGAS
$41
8-9lbs

Sales Information

10th 18. SCAMPI (GB) 5yo G
NAYEF (USA) - PREVEZA (FR)
JASON HART
ANDREW BALDING
$15
8-13lbs

Sales Information

11th 11. GET SHIRTY (IRE) 7yo G
TEOFILO (IRE) - SOCCER MOM (GER)
DANIEL TUDHOPE
DAVID O'MEARA
$29
9-4lbs

Sales Information

12th 10. JACKFINBAR (FR) 8yo G
WHIPPER (USA) - ANNA SIMONA (GER)
WILLIAM BUICK
WILLIE MULLINS
$9
9-6lbs

Sales Information

13th 22. ADJUVANT (IRE) 4yo G
NEW BAY (GB) - LEVANTO (IRE)
KEVIN STOTT
MICHAEL BELL
$11
8-12lbs

Sales Information

14th 5. TASHKHAN (IRE) 5yo G
BORN TO SEA (IRE) - TARZIYNA (IRE)
BEN ROBINSON
BRIAN ELLISON
$29
9-9lbs

Sales Information

15th 20. SARATOGA GOLD (GB) 5yo G
MAYSON (GB) - LADY SYLVIA (GB)
TOM MARQUAND
C HILLS
$81
8-12lbs

Sales Information

16th 2. ENEMY (GB) 6yo G
MUHAARAR (GB) - PRUDENZIA (IRE)
CHRISTIAN HOWARTH
IAN WILLIAMS
$81
9-7lbs

Sales Information

17th 4. CEMHAAN (GB) 6yo G
MUHAARAR (GB) - SHALWA (GB)
HOLLIE DOYLE
GEORGE BAKER
$26
9-9lbs

Sales Information

18th 7. OCEAN WIND (GB) 7yo H
TEOFILO (IRE) - CHAN TONG (BRZ)
FREDERICK LARSON
ROGER TEAL
$51
9-5lbs
19th 13. REAL DREAM (IRE) 4yo G
LOPE DE VEGA (IRE) - LAGANORE (IRE)
RYAN MOORE
SIR MICHAEL STOUTE
$8.5
9-2lbs

Sales Information

20th 19. WICKYWICKYWHEELS (IRE) 5yo M
THE CARBON UNIT (USA) - ADVERTISING SPACE (IRE)
TADHG O'SHEA
JIM GOLDIE
$81
8-12lbs
21st 8. SUNCHART (GB) 6yo G
TEOFILO (IRE) - HOMETIME (GB)
OISIN ORR
ANDREW SLATTERY
$67
9-7lbs

Sales Information

22nd 12. HMS PRESIDENT (IRE) 6yo G
EXCELEBRATION (IRE) - DANCE HALL GIRL (IRE)
ROSSA RYAN
ALAN KING
$15
9-4lbs

Sales Information

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