Four Royal Ascot Winners for Kingsclere and Kalpana Still to Come

[Wandering Eyes]

Kalpana might have been missing from Andrew Balding's Royal Ascot squad, but the trainer now heads to the Curragh with his stable star in tow and a spring in his step, buoyed by what was a “fantastic” week in Berkshire which yielded four winners from Park House Stables.

Top billing went to the two-year-old Humidity who, having been considered Balding's best chance of a winner at the start of the week, duly delivered with a gutsy performance to land the Listed Chesham Stakes on the final day of the meeting.

A trip to Goodwood is now on the cards for the son of Ulysses, who is said to be exciting his trainer as much as any of his top-class predecessors at Kingsclere, certainly at this early stage of his career.

“Very much so,” Balding confirmed when asked if the unbeaten Humidity compares favourably to the other good juveniles he's trained. “And there seems to be huge improvement in him still. That's my feeling given his scope and he's also got a great attitude which is important.

“He's a lovely horse. You're always guessing with the two-year-olds, but we felt that he'd improved for his debut and that certainly looked the case at Ascot. That gave us huge satisfaction. I imagine we'll wait now and go to Goodwood with him [for the G2 Vintage Stakes].”

 

GUTSY! HUMIDITY WINS THE CHESHAM STAKES! #ROYALASCOT pic.twitter.com/l2smJPUcbj

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 21, 2025

 

An appearance at Goodwood could also be next for another of Balding's Royal Ascot winners in Never So Brave, who routed his rivals in the Buckingham Palace Stakes. The son of No Nay Never has since been raised to a lofty BHA mark of 115, suggesting the time is nigh for a step up in grade. For context, last week's G1 King Charles III Stakes winner American Affair has a revised rating of 114, while the G1 Queen Anne Stakes scorer Docklands has gone up to 118.

“He looked like a Group horse in a handicap,” Balding said of Never So Brave's display. “We'll be looking at stakes races next for him. He's got an entry in the [G2] Lennox Stakes, and I think Goodwood would suit him well, but we've got alternatives. I'll discuss that with the owners and see what they want to do.”

The stable's Royal Ascot four-timer was completed by Miss Information (Blue Point), who was successful in the Kensington Palace Stakes, and Quai De Bethune (Persian King), a last-gasp winner of the Golden Gates Stakes.

Balding is now considering a step up in trip for the progressive Quai De Bethune, while Miss Information could go in the opposite direction after gaining her first victory over a mile at the royal meeting.

“Funnily enough, I think she won in spite of the trip,” Balding said of the latter. “I think Oisin [Murphy, jockey] certainly felt that seven [furlongs] would be more suitable for her. She's actually got an entry in a Listed race at Chelmsford next week. That looks the most likely next step if she's okay. She'll be retained by her owners [Norman Court Stud], so getting black type will be the number one objective.”

Away from the stable's winners, Balding also expressed his delight with the third-place finishes of See The Fire (Sea The Stars) and Flora Of Bermuda (Dark Angel), in the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes and G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, respectively, whilst acknowledging the importance of finding your way to the number one spot on the biggest stage of all.

“By and large, the team we sent there all performed to expectations, bar a couple, and that's all we can really hope for,” he summed up. “But, of course, winning is important and to get four on the board was fantastic.

“See The Fire, all being well, will go for the Nassau Stakes, which she was second in last year. Flora Of Bermuda has come out of her race well and we'll be hoping to go for the July Cup. Hopefully, they will both get their opportunities to win a Group 1 at some stage–they both deserve to. They're a pleasure to have in the yard and we were very proud of both of their performances.”

Whilst See The Fire and Flora Of Bermuda continue to knock at the door at the top level, Kalpana is most definitely the one with bragging rights at Kingsclere, having already gone through it last October when she won the G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot.

Following an encouraging return to action in last month's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, when passing the post just a length and a half behind Los Angeles in third, the daughter of Study Of Man will now return to the Curragh on Saturday with the aim of doubling her Group 1 tally in the Pretty Polly Stakes.

 

LOS ANGELES!

Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore claim success in an eventful @Tattersalls_ie Gold Cup @curraghrace | @coolmorestud pic.twitter.com/ZnCeYRjYrj

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 25, 2025

 

Explaining why the Pretty Polly was preferred to the G2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, as well as Sunday's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Balding said, “We know she's better at a mile and a half, but we just felt at this stage that a run against her own sex would be preferable, particularly given that we'd be hoping to take on the colts again in the King George.

“She's got to give a lot of weight for age to Whirl and that won't be easy if she runs. She's obviously a nice filly, but Kalpana's last run suggests she should be the one to beat.”

Balding will be without a runner in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, with another setback to the fragile but very talented Eydon (Olden Times) set to keep him on the sidelines until August, but it promises to be another busy weekend closer to home.

Ante-post favourite Who's Glen (Gleneagles), last seen finishing fifth in the Chester Cup, is one of four entries for the stable in Saturday's Northumberland Plate at Newcastle, while exciting filly Formal (Dubawi) is also set to head north for a tilt at York's G3 Criterion Stakes.

“He's a horse who has been very consistent,” the trainer said of Who's Glen. “I thought he ran a very good race in the Chester Cup where perhaps the extended two miles just stretched him a little bit. I think this will be the perfect test for him. He's effective on the surface and I'd hope he's equipped to run a decent race, but it's a very tough race to win and the draw is very important there as well. Hopefully, we get lucky with that and we can see him run a good race.

“Spirit Mixer definitely gets in as well and he's been second in the consolation race before. He could run a decent race if he gets well drawn, while Contacto will probably end up in the consolation race. He's ready to run well.”

Of Formal, he added, “She seems in great shape. It will be interesting to see her on a quicker surface. She won on both a slow surface and a quick surface for Sir Michael [Stoute] last year, so it shouldn't be a problem. She has a bit more on her plate taking on older horses, but we had hopes she'd be our Guineas filly earlier in the year, so I'd hope she's up to it.”

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