Five Ways shades Sirenia Stakes success for Andrew Balding

Andrew Balding’s Five Ways proved his promise with a tough success in the Unibet Sirenia Stakes at Kempton.

The Kameko colt has been shaping up well as the season has progressed and got off the mark by a decent margin last time out to earn a step up to Group Three level.

Under Jason Watson and at a price of 4-1, he proved the water was not too deep, prevailing by a nose over the six-furlong trip.

Balding said: “He has always been good in his homework, and we thought it was worth a go. He was bred by John Hobby, who has been a good friend of my parents for many years, and he has had horses at Kingsclere for a lot of years, so it is fantastic for him. He is by Kameko as well, so it is good for the whole team.

“We were disappointed with him the first time out (fourth), but we felt the ground was a bit loose that day and he got wheel spinning a bit, and he probably needed the run, but it was more like it at Salisbury last time out.

“He will stay further in time. We will see if we go again this year, but he is a lovely horse for the future. He has always shown a high level of ability.

“Today was the plan. The Mill Reef would have come too soon for him so we will see how we go.”

Highclere Thoroughbred Racing’s Drama did them proud again when regsitering back-to-back victories in the Unibet London Sprint Series Final.

Twelve months after taking the £80,000 contest under Tom Marquand, the gelding did so again under Oisin Murphy with a 3-1 success for trainer James Ferguson.

Harry Herbert, racing manager of Highclere, said: “He loves this track. He is just an extraordinary horse.

“It is horses for courses and it is Drama for Kempton Park as that is his deal. To win this race two years running is absolutely fantastic.

“Well done to James Ferguson, and all his team, and the birthday boy Oisin, and a wonderful group of Highclere owners who have had such fun with him.

“We had to go through the pain barrier of some turf races that don’t suit, but this race had a big red circle around it.

“I really take my hat off to James. To produce him to do what he did last year from much higher in the weights today was wonderful. It is a big pay day for the syndicate, so happy days.”

Sky Safari showed a commendable attitude to maintain her unbeaten record on the all-weather when winning the Unibet London Mile Series Final Handicap.

James Fanshawe’s 5-2 favourite was ridden by Murphy to a neck victory as one of four wins across the card for the rider as he celebrated his 30th birthday.

Tom Fanshawe, assistant to his father, said: “She is now four out of four on the all-weather and she showed a really good attitude out there today. It has been a really good family to our stable and her half-brother won earlier in the week.

“I think we all thought Ed’s (Dunlop) horse (Superposition) had slipped the field. She had to be brave to battle back in a strongly run race against battle hardened horses.

“She settled pretty well today as her family are quite forward going and Oisin felt she wasn’t over racing.

“If she continued to settle as well as she did today then she could get a mile and a quarter, but I imagine we will keep her at a mile for now.

“Oisin was very complimentary about her. He said there is a good deal of improvement left in her. Where her ceiling is I don’t know.”