Andrew Balding On The Influence Of Mill Reef

After numerous attempts and near misses with a couple of second and third place finishes, Andrew Balding trained his first winner of the Group 2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes in 2023 with the Juddmonte owned colt ARRAY.

The six furlong contest at Newbury is named after the great champion racehorse, Mill Reef, who was trained by Andrew’s father, Ian, at his current yard at Kingsclere for owner Paul Mellon. Mill Reef was an exceptional racehorse who went on to record multiple successes at the highest level including success in the 1971 Epsom Derby, Eclipse, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The Mill Reef Stakes was named after the Ian Balding trained racehorse with its inaugural running in 1972. Not only is the race named after him but there is a yard named in his memory at Kingsclere which is home to a replica of the Skeaping bronze of Mill Reef.

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