Trainer Andrew Balding credits whole Kingsclere team after Royal Ascot success

Andrew Balding praised his whole team as he ended Royal Ascot with four winners to finish the week second in the trainer’s standings.

The Park House handler won the same amount of races as the pairing of John & Thady Gosden, but the latter successfully defended their crown after Reach For The Moon finished second in Saturday’s Listed Chesham Stakes.

Berkshire Shadow kick-started the week for Balding, before Sandrine, Alcohol Free and Foxes Tales all won their respective races.

“I am thrilled, you know, it’s an important week for us and it’s fantastic for everyone concerned,” Balding said. “It is a proper team effort, everyone played their part and everyone has got the results they deserved.”

The five-day meeting at Royal Ascot was a government pilot event, therefore allowing up to 12,000 spectators in the crowd every day.

“It almost feels like it is back to normal and everyone who attended really enjoyed it.”

Oisin Murphy, who is Lambourn-based, rode three of Balding’s four winners, with David Probert steering Sandrine to victory in the Albany Stakes.

“Kingsclere was well represented and everyone did great jobs.

“To win three group races at the meeting is fantastic and in particular Alcohol Free because she put the disappointment of the 2000 Guineas behind her.”

Balding ended the week with a winner in the Golden Gates Stakes, in the form of Foxes Tale, for his well-supported owners King Power Racing.

“I am so pleased to get a winner for King Power,” he said. “They have been great supporters of ours and it’s been a privilege to train for them, and the horse looked like a good horse as well.”

Meanwhile East Ilsley trainer Hughie Morrison won the Duke of Edinburgh Handicap for the fourth time as Quickthorn finished ahead of Raymond Tusk and Zabeel Champion.

The four-year-old showed plenty of staying power under Murphy to land the mile and a half contest and give Morrison his eighth Royal Ascot success.

“Last year, Quickthorn just wasn't quite right. We took a very brave decision and turned him away for six months and look what we got.

“The few times I have won this race before, we have always got beat in our run up, but he's obviously a very good horse.

“We have always tried to keep him to ground which isn’t too quick, but as long as he takes his racing well, we might be a bit braver.

“I suppose we can dream about the Ebor maybe, but Oisin said he’s plenty quick enough at a mile and a half, so I wouldn't worry about that. We might go for a Group race or something.”

Roger Teal was the only other local trainer to win at this year's meeting, with Oxted storming to victory in the King's Stand Stakes, but Archie Watson was unfortunate not to win the Commonwealth Cup.

Dragon Symbol, who initially won the race, was bumped down to second after a stewards enquiry deemed the three-year-old to have cut across Campanelle, who was awarded the win.