Never So Brave Touches the Sky at York, Giving Balding Her First G1 of the Year
- Turf Diario
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
The City of York Stakes Finally Achieves G1 Status, with Trainer’s Charge Shining in a Convincing Win; Rosallion Disappoints, Qirat Fails to Repeat Sussex Stakes Magic
YORKSHIRE, Inglaterra (Special for Turf Diario).- There was a sense of poetic justice in the outcome. After more than a decade of planning, investment, and patience, the City of York Stakes finally achieved what had seemed impossible: becoming Britain’s first G1 over 1400 meters open to all horses. The initiative, strongly backed by York Racecourse, required trainer support to attract quality and prestige, and few did more than Andrew Balding. Fittingly, it was Balding who raised his arms in triumph in the inaugural G1 edition, courtesy of Never So Brave (No Nay Never).
The 4-year-old bay had arrived at Kingsclere from Sir Michael Stoute’s stable as a useful horse, almost a “luxury handicapper.” Yet his progression was meteoric: a win in the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, followed by a commanding debut at graded level in the G2 Summer Mile Stakes, and now the York summit, defeating Lake Forest (No Nay Never) and Maranoa Charlie (Wootton Bassett) by a half-length and a head.
Ridden by Oisin Murphy, Never So Brave bided his time mid-pack, launched his surge in the stretch, and dominated over the final 200 meters to score by a half-length. The victory also marked Balding’s fifth in the race and, most importantly, his first G1 of a sensational season that has seen 142 winners and more than £5 million in earnings.
“We’re thrilled; we needed this,” said Anna Lisa Balding, the trainer’s wife. “It’s been a fantastic year, but we were missing a G1, and to achieve it here makes it special.”
The future looks as promising as it is challenging. Paddy Power has cut him from 25-1 to 10-1 for the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, and a return to a mile appears likely. “He’s very versatile,” Balding explained. “He’s won at seven furlongs, a mile, and back at seven to do it again. Oisin thinks the mile is his best distance. The important thing is that he keeps stepping forward.”
Among the beaten, Rosallion (Blue Point), redirected here after a minor issue sidelined him from the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois, could manage only fourth. Trainer Richard Hannon admitted his disappointment but avoided excuses: “He didn’t travel or accelerate as usual, but there’s nothing physically wrong. We’ll rethink his campaign; there are options worldwide.”
Qirat (Showcasing), coming off a surprise win in the G1 Sussex Stakes as a pacemaker no one could catch, was unable to replicate that performance and finished well off the lead.
The City of York Stakes delivered a historic afternoon, and Never So Brave’s name is now etched as the first winner of its new G1 era—a horse who arrived as a project and, in just a few months, became a true classic contender.
