Homebred Yuften wins the Balmoral Handicap

15 October 2016

Yuften winning the prestigious Balmoral Handicap on Champions Day at Ascot

Yuften played his part in an exciting QIPCO Champions Day at Ascot on Saturday when capturing the concluding race on the card, the prestigious Balmoral Handicap.

Making his second start for Roger Charlton, the Blue Diamond Stud homebred was always travelling well in the hands of Andrea Atzeni before pouncing against the rail two furlongs out.

Yuften was always in control after that and held the runner-up Remarkable at bay despite idling late on.

It marked the third win for Yuften, who finished second past the post to Charm Spirit in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat as a three-year-old and defeated the classy Sir Isaac Newton in a Dundalk conditions race earlier this year.

Atzeni was impressed with his mount.

“Yuften ran a lovely race at Newmarket on his last start,” he said, “when George Baker gave him a lovely ride, and I think that race brought him on a lot. I was second in a Group 1 [the 2014 Prix Jean Prat, from which he was later disqualified and placed fourth] with him and I remember winning a maiden on him, so he has always been pretty good.

“He was having a good look at the screens and we could have done with a longer lead. We got there and he thought he had done enough, but he won quite comfortably enough.”

By Invincible Spirit, Yuften is one of three stakes performers out of Blue Diamond foundation mare Majestic Sakeena, purchased by Tony Nerses for 200,000gns at the 2006 Tattersalls December Sale. Majestic Sakeena is also the dam of Listed winner Nouriya, herself dam of our Listed-winning three-year-old Aljazzi, as well as the Listed-placed Lady Nouf.

Back to Latest News