Balmoral Handicap (sponsored By Qipco) |
|
| (British Champions Series) Handicap, Ascot 16:25 £250,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m, Class 2  |
|
| Saturday 15th October 2016 | |
1 Yuften 12/1
2 Remarkable 12/1
3 Firmament 7/1
4 Afjaan 8/1
NR: Instant Attraction (IRE)
19 ran Distances: 1l, ½l, hd
TIME 1m 39.70s (slow by 0.90s)
Trainer Roger Charlton saddled his first QIPCO British Champions Day winner when Yuften won the Balmoral Handicap.
 |
It was sweet compensation for Charlton, who had watched his Quest For More take second place, beaten half a length, in the opening race, the QIPCO Long Distance Cup.
Yuften, 12/1, the mount of Andrea Atzeni, drifted left in the final furlong, but was clear of his rivals and did not cause interference. He joined Charlton following spells with William Haggas and Johnny Murtagh, and is owned by Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar, who were in Kuwait today on business.
Their racing manager, Tony Nerses, said: "We wanted a change of scenery for the horse and it has clearly suited him. He ran well at Newmarket on his first start for Roger, and that brought him on. That gave him confidence back."
Charlton said: "He won it well in the end. He drifted across the course, but he didn't cause any damage behind. His owners wanted him entered in the Horses-in-Training Sale, so he could go there, but I would imagine they will take him out and see if he can progress again next year. He's won a lot of prize money today - it was his day and I'm very happy. He's been with me for three months."
The John Gosden-trained Remarkable (12/1) finished a length second to Roger Charlton's Yuften.
Under Rab Havlin, the three-year-old travelled well in midfield in the early stages of the mile contest and made good progress entering the final furlong to contest the lead.
The son of Pivotal encountered slight interference with the winner in the closing stages, drifting towards the stands' side rail to be beaten by a length. David O'Meara's Firmament (7/1) was a further half-length back in third.
Havlin said: "The interference hasn't cost me much ground despite Andrea's horse moving. He shied away from the other horse a bit as he thinks about things quite a bit but I think he would have been second anyway."
A stewards' inquiry took place but the placings remained unaltered.
Balmoral Handicap (sponsored By Qipco)
£250,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m, Class 2
19 ran
Going: Good
| Pos | Dr | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (1) | Yuften 12/1 | Andrea Atzeni 9-1 |
R Charlton | 5 | |
| 2nd | (9) | 1 | Remarkable 12/1 | R Havlin 9-0 |
J H M Gosden | 3 |
| 3rd | (16) | ½ | Firmament 7/1 | D Tudhope 9-8 |
D O'Meara | 4 |
| 4th | (12) | hd | Afjaan (IRE) 8/1 | L Dettori 8-13 |
W J Haggas | 4 |
| 5th | (21) | hd | Third Time Lucky (IRE) 8/1 | Adam J McNamara (5) 9-1 |
R A Fahey | 4 |
| 6th | (6) | ½ | Highland Colori (IRE) (ex6) 40/1 | L P Keniry 9-1 |
A M Balding | 8 |
| 7th | (3) | hd | Morando (FR) 5/1f | Harry Bentley 9-1 |
R Varian | 3 |
| 8th | (2) | 1 | Emell 50/1 | K T O'Neill 9-2 |
R Hannon | 6 |
| 9th | (15) | nse | Donncha (IRE) 10/1 | P J Smullen 9-0 |
R Eddery | 5 |
| 10th | (14) | nk | Here Comes When (IRE) 25/1 | J P Spencer 9-5 |
A M Balding | 6 |
| 11th | (19) | hd | Sea Wolf (IRE) 12/1 | C T Keane 9-2 |
G M Lyons | 4 |
| 12th | (5) | hd | Master The World (IRE) 25/1 | P J Dobbs 9-8 |
D R C Elsworth | 5 |
| 12th | (17) | d.h | Zhui Feng (IRE) 16/1 | Jim Crowley 8-13 |
Mrs A J Perrett | 3 |
| 14th | (7) | 1¾ | Tullius (IRE) 25/1 | J Fortune 9-10 |
A M Balding | 8 |
| 15th | (8) | 1¾ | GM Hopkins 15/2 | R L Moore 9-10 |
J H M Gosden | 5 |
| 16th | (22) | hd | Bronze Angel (IRE) 33/1 | Louis Steward (3) 9-5 |
M P Tregoning | 7 |
| 17th | (10) | ½ | Mutarakez (IRE) 14/1 | P Hanagan 9-0 |
B J Meehan | 4 |
| 18th | (20) | 4½ | Chil The Kite 25/1 | G Baker 9-2 |
H Morrison | 7 |
| 19th | (23) | 5 | Dream Walker (FR) 50/1 | C D Hayes 9-1 |
B Ellison | 7 |
| NR | (11) | Instant Attraction (IRE) 33/1 | J Garritty 9-0 |
Jedd O'Keeffe | 5 |
