ANDREW Balding has enjoyed a splendid season and is closing in on a century of winners following another double at Ascot. He won the very valuable totepool Challenge Cup with 16/1 chance Intransigent and followed up with sprinter Dungannon in the Les Ambassadeurs Casino Handicap. Both were ridden by Oisin Murphy.

For a winner at listed level, Intransigent was not overburdened with 9st 4lb in the seven-furlong handicap.

Given plenty of time as the free-running Blaine gave way to eventual runner-up Empire Storm, he improved smoothly from halfway, pulling clear to score by a length and a half with last year’s winner Heaven’s Guest in third.

Things were made a little easier following the withdrawal of Almargo, American Hope and Silent Bullet.

“He’s a very good horse on his day,” Balding said. “He won a listed race earlier in the year and has been second in a couple of these big handicaps. His ability to handle ground as soft as this surprised me. He’s in a mile handicap on Champions Day and we’ll have a look at that.”

Dungannon is a real autumn horse and just got home by a short-head from Khubala in the closing sprint over five furlongs. The seven-year-old, who started at 7/2, showed commendable determination and may go in again.

“He always comes good at this time of year, loves Ascot, loves the ground and I’m very pleased,” Balding commented. “He’ll go for the race at Doncaster that he won last year.”

ELSWORTH’S DAY

The Ascot card was caught between two top-class programmes at Newmarket but there were two Group 3 races and two listed events, the first of which, the Albert Bartlett Stakes, was won by David Elsworth’s Justice Day from Kickboxer and Milly’s Gift.

Jockey John Egan is back in the groove and made all towards the far side on the winner, who was never seriously threatened and passed the post just over a length to the good. Muthmir, the likely warm favourite, was withdrawn because of the ground.

It will be no surprise if Elsworth moves Justice Day back up to group company in the near future, he is clearly more than happy in soft ground.

Marco Botti’s filly Al Thakhira (5/2 favourite) has not had the best of luck this season. However, she appreciated the drop to listed company in the totepool EBF Stallions October Stakes and weaved her way through to score narrowly but decisively from Meeting Waters and Interception.

As the runner-up and Felwah dictated the early pace, the field came together and it seemed impossible for Martin Harley to find a way through, but Al Thakhira squeezed between the front two and was well on top close home.

“She’s never really had her preferred soft ground,” Botti said. “I was having a heart attack when she got really crowded but Martin said he was always confident. We found in the 1000 Guineas that she doesn’t stay a mile and seven furlongs is her trip. If she doesn’t go to Future Champions Day at Newmarket this will be her last run.”

Al Thakhira was Dubawi’s 29th stakes winner of the season, 13 ahead of his nearest British stallion rival.