Sky Bet City of York Stakes
Group 1, York 15:00
£600,000 guaranteed,
3yo plus,
7f, Class 1    
Saturday 23rd August 2025

BoyleSports

1 Never So Brave 7/2
2 Lake Forest 12/1
3 Maranoa Charlie 9/1
10 ran NR: Ten Bob Tony Distances: ½l, hd, hd
Time: 1m 22.93s (slow by 0.03s)

Never So Brave has announced himself at the very top table, storming home in a breathless renewal, leaving hot favourite Rosallion back in fourth.

Now with Andrew Balding following the retirement of Sir Michael Stoute, the four-year-old has been a model of progress. A near miss at Chester on stable debut, a commanding display in the Buckingham Palace at Royal Ascot, then a polished follow-up in the Group Two Summer Mile. Each step sharper than the last, each rung up the ladder climbed with purpose.

This was the acid test – Group One company for the first time. Sent off 7-2, against the even-money Rosallion who had gone down fighting in both the Queen Anne and the Sussex Stakes.

Quinault did what Quinault does – tear off in front, setting a searching pace. The big two bided their time, Oisin Murphy sitting chilly on Never So Brave until asking the question deep inside the final furlong. The response was immediate – the gelding quickening to the front.

Rosallion tried to claw him back, Maranoa Charlie and Lake Forest burst from the pack to raise the volume, but Never So Brave was unflinching. Half a length the margin, Lake Forest second, Maranoa Charlie third, Rosallion only fourth.

Anna-Lisa Balding, assistant to her husband, could not hide her delight:
“We’re absolutely delighted, it was a wonderful ride, and thank you Sir Michael Stoute who has been very kind to us.

“He’s matured through the year and Andrew has done a pretty good job, I suppose!

“He ran over a mile last time and was dropping back to seven furlongs today. He has got a few quirks and I think as a colt he probably wouldn’t be as good as he is now – I think the gelding operation has been the making of him.”

For Saeed Suhail’s team, the sense of steady progress was key. Racing manager Philip Robinson said:

“Slowly, and bit by bit, he’s improved until we’ve got to the Group One.

“It’s been absolutely perfect. Andrew has taken his time and gradually climbed the ladder and now the horse has got so much confidence, which he needed to win today.

“He was tough. I was quite confident once he got to the front as it looked to me like he was fighting everything off and we know he gets a mile, which is an added bonus when you get into a tight finish over seven furlongs as you know they’re going to keep going.”

Coral cut him to 10-1 from 16-1 for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day. Could that be next? Robinson kept the door ajar:
“It’s a possibility. We’ll have to sit down with the owner and trainer and see where we go next, but I’d imagine he’ll stay in training next year as well.”

Sky Bet City of York Stakes (Group 2)
£600,000 guaranteed, 3yo plus, 7f, Class 1
10 ran
Going: Good to Firm, Good in places

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (7)    Never So Brave 4 9-8 Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy 7/2
2 (8) ½ Lake Forest 4 9-8 William Haggas Tom Marquand 12/1
3 (4) hd Maranoa Charlie 3 9-3 Christopher Head Aurelien Lemaitre 9/1
4 (11) hd Rosallion 4 9-8 Richard Hannon Sean Levey EvsF
5 (3) 1½ Qirat 4 9-8 Ralph Beckett Colin Keane 20/1
6 (10) ½ Exactly 3 9-0 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 9/1
7 (9) shd Annaf 6 9-8 Michael Appleby Rossa Ryan 66/1
8 (1) 1 Seagulls Eleven 3 9-3 Hugo Palmer William Buick 50/1
9 (6) ¾ Audience 6 9-8 John & Thady Gosden Robert Havlin 20/1
10 (5) 1 Quinault 5 9-8 Stuart Williams Jason Hart 25/1
NR 8 (2) Ten Bob Tony 8 4 9-8 Ed Walker NON RUNNER