Balding picks up first win at Royal Ascot 2025

Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy opened their accounts for Royal Ascot 2025 as Miss Information (11/1) finished strongly to take the Kensington Palace Stakes.

Racing over a mile for only a second time, the Blue Point filly came home best of all down the middle of the track to collar Irish raider Snellen (25/1) and win by a length.

Snellen, who won the Listed Chesham Stakes at this meeting in 2023, finished a head in front of Cheshire Dancer (20/1), with Muddy Mooy (33/1) three-quarters of a length further back in fourth.

Balding said: “Miss Information has been a star. She had no luck at Epsom last time – she got shuffled back and didn’t really enjoy herself – but fast ground is what she wants.

“She just about got a mile. It was a very good ride.

“These owners get so much enjoyment out of it, and I’m so pleased for them.

“They have a stud and she will make a lovely broodmare.”

Murphy said: “Andrew told me to sit prominently and save a bit, but I was concerned that Miss Information wouldn’t save a bit if I allowed her to break, so I did my own thing.

“She relaxed and they raced in front of her; she doesn’t get a mile, really, so it was important to save and save, and it worked out well.

“She trained well, but at Epsom the other day she suffered interference, and I was concerned – although Andrew said she was great after the race – how she was after that event, bearing in mind it was only two weeks ago.

“They did a great job getting here and it is great to get on the scoresheet.

“This is a race available to those sort of horses who are just below top level.

“I thought she might be at the upper limit of her handicap mark, but sometimes they eke out a little bit of improvement when things go absolutely perfectly, and today we got that.”

Co-owner Susan Bunney, who lost her shoes in the celebrations, said: “I got stuck in the grass I was so excited!

“This is such a thrill, I really can't speak. I am so emotional.

“Miss Information is such a lovely horse and she's been so good to us… how often do you get a winner at Royal Ascot?

“We just hoped she would get a mile because she has only run over seven furlongs on turf.

“Andrew has done a marvellous job with her and Oisin rides her like a dream. I've always loved horse racing.”