Andrew Balding’s late run at a first success in the Flat trainers’ championship gained extra momentum as an across-the-cards double, including a 1-2 in the Group Two Challenge Stakes, carried him further clear of Aidan O’Brien before a potentially pivotal afternoon on Champions Day at Ascot next weekend.
Balding was still around £700,000 adrift of O’Brien, the defending champion, at the end of August but has made steady progress since and moved into the lead for the first time when Blue Bolt won the Group One Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket last weekend.
