Andrew Balding believes See The Fire is primed to mount a big challenge to her G1 Juddmonte International rivals at York on Wednesday on the back of an impressive piece of work that “couldn’t have been better”.
While See The Fire failed to land a blow in a dramatic renewal of the G1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood last month, where a sustained period of torrential rain and a flag start disrupted proceedings, Balding is confident his filly can bounce back when she returns to the scene of her emphatic career-best win earlier this season.
The four-year-old swept to a 12-length demolition in May’s G2 Middleton Fillies’ Stakes over the same course and distance as Wednesday’s showpiece, taking her record at York to a perfect two from two.
“Things didn’t really work out for her at Goodwood,” the trainer told Andrew Le Jeune on the latest Idol Horse Podcast. “They had a lot of heavy rain in the couple of hours leading up to the race and something we know is that she’s better on a sound surface.
“The flag start didn’t help either. She forfeited a few lengths at the start and you just can’t give away ground, particularly in those conditions, so it was far from ideal.
“But she’s come out of it well. She did a piece of work on Wednesday that couldn’t have been better and we’re delighted with her going into it. She’s had the two runs at York and she’s absolutely bolted up in the Strensall last year and she annihilated them in the Middleton this year, so it’s certainly a track that plays to her strengths.”
While Goodwood brought frustration, it’s at York where See The Fire has looked at her brilliant best. She stamped her authority in the G3 Strensall Stakes at this meeting last year over nine furlongs and turned the Middleton Stakes into a procession on the Knavesmire.
Now, though, she will attempt to break through at the top level and emulate her dam, Arabian Queen, who won the Juddmonte International in 2015.
“It’s going to take a performance from the top draw,” Balding added. “See The Fire hasn’t won a Group 1 yet amazingly – she’s been placed in a few – but it would be a lovely way to break the Group 1 duck.”
The four-day Ebor Festival at York could get better for Balding, as it could for See The Fire’s dam, whose progeny will be well represented on the Knavesmire in the famous purple and turquoise silks of Jeff Smith.
See The Fire’s half-brothers, Spirit Mixer and Royal Playwright, could also line up at York in handicaps on the opening two days of the meeting.
“It’s extraordinary,” Balding said. “Arabian Queen, who David Elsworth trained, won a Juddmonte International herself and I’ve been lucky enough to train all her progeny.”
Balding also has Group 1 ambitions in the newly upgraded City Of York Stakes, sending Never So Brave to the top level for the first time on the back of his impressive G2 Summer Mile win over a mile at Ascot.
Never So Brave joined Balding’s yard at Kingsclere following the retirement of Sir Michael Stoute at the end of last season.
“He was a little unlucky on debut for us at Chester, but he made up for it by winning at the Royal meeting in the Buckingham Palace and he won the Summer Mile really well last time,” Balding continued.
“He’s a talented horse and he’s got plenty of speed so I don’t think the drop back to seven furlongs will be any problem for him.” ∎
