FEATURE race on day two of York’s Ebor Festival was the Group 1 Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks, in which Kalpana (Andrew Balding/Colin Keane) confirmed herself a battler as well as a filly of the highest class with a narrow success over Sparan Nua (Jim Bolger/Rossa Ryan), with 2025 winner Minnie Hauk (Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore) back in third. The margins were a short head and two and a half lengths.

The King George winner was sent off odds-on and lived up to that billing, travelling with purpose before Colin Keane asked her to lengthen in the straight. Sparan Nua overcame a troubled passage to make a mighty race of it and Minnie Hauk kept on with credit, but Kalpana had enough class to cling on after Keane appeared to drop his reins in the closing stages.

Balding’s wife and assistant Anna Lisa was delighted with the way the Kingsclere runners handled conditions on the Knavesmire, and the Yorkshire Oaks winner formed the centrepiece of a memorable afternoon for the yard, but the showpiece win wasn’t without a scare, with Kalpana idling after running down the tearaway leader Sugar Island and just prevailing after being rather blindsided by Sparan Nua’s late challenge.

“He’s dropped his rein there,” said a relieved Anna-Lisa while watching the replay on York’s big screen. “I hoped she’d stay on but I wasn’t so sure. She’s done it the hard way but she’s done it. She’s gutsy and she has a huge heart.”

It’s likely that Kalpana will have one or two more runs this autumn before retirement, but the question of which races has yet to be decided; she could go for a hat-trick of wins in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes or launch a more adventurous challenge for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, with the Breeders’ Cup Turf another option and preferable to the Filly & Mare Turf which will be run over just 1m1½f at Keeneland. Despite being proven on softish ground, it may be that she will go where the ground is quicker, given her jockey’s post-race comments on Thursday.

“The ground felt plenty slow for her,” Keane said. “For a filly that has such good form on slow ground, I said to Barry I think she’s got used to the fast ground and appreciates it."

Libertango finishes with a flourish

LIBERTANGO (George Boughey/Billy Loughnane) came from off the pace to land the Group 2 Sky Bet Lowther Stakes, getting up inside the final 110 yards to deny Star Of State (Joseph O’Brien/Dylan Browne McMonagle) by half a length. Jolivette (Andrew Balding/Colin Keane) finished best of the rest in third.

The winner had dwelt at the start and was held up towards the rear, but Billy Loughnane clearly had a plan, switching her left after the first furlong before producing her with a sustained challenge against the far rail. Star Of State looked to have pinched an advantage when leading over a furlong out, but Libertango quickened smartly and was strongest where it mattered.

The Albany Stakes winner had been beaten in the Duchess of Cambridge at Newmarket on her previous start, but the fast pace of the Lowther played to her strengths and she again looked every inch a top-notch juvenile filly. The Cheveley Park Stakes is her likely next target, although a bid for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in October is also on the table.

Winning trainer Boughey told ITV Racing: "Huge credit goes to Billy as we wanted to get on the back of the ones who would take us furthest into the race. She likes that bit of trouble. We've said it for a long time - he's riding out of his skin.

"And huge credit to the filly; her work at home has been fantastic - if we'd been drawn better then she would have been a bet at even money.

Asked if she might step up to seven furlongs, he replied: "I'd be surprised. The plan will be the Cheveley Park and then onto the Breeders' Cup. She might even be more explosive back at five."

Improving prizeland makes listed breakthrough

THE Listed British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes provided another winner for Balding and Oisin Murphy as Prizeland stormed clear in the final furlong. Sent off at 11/1, she beat Rhapsody (William Haggas/Tom Marquand) by three and a quarter lengths, with Capichera (Ed Walker/Kieran Shoemark) a short head away in third.

Ashariba took the field along before the race began to unfold in the straight, with the runners edging towards the centre of the course in search of better ground. Murphy asked Prizeland to quicken and she responded decisively, settling the contest in a few strides and seeing out the trip strongly.

Anna Lisa Balding said afterwards: “The ground was a little bit of a question mark, but Oisin got off her and said that is what she loves. I think it’s very difficult at the moment because the horses aren’t conditioned to run on this ground. You can’t work them at home (on grass) so you’re hoping and looking at pedigrees and action. We had to ask the question and it’s been answered.”

She added: “Andrew has had nice ideas for her, but we really needed to get this Listed win under her belt. I think she’d stay a bit further.”

Prizeland’s victory was the third leg of a Balding treble at that stage, following Kalpana in the Yorkshire Oaks and The Lost King in the Sir Kevin Sinfield 7 In 7 Grand Finale Handicap, and it underlined the extent to which the Kingsclere horses are thriving currently.

The afternoon became still better for Balding and Murphy when Machadadorp won the concluding British EBF Fillies’ Handicap, giving the trainer a 1,832/1 four-timer on the card and the jockey a treble. Balding said: “I’m really delighted. Oisin just got off and said, ‘I can’t believe she didn’t win at Goodwood’, so I think the step up [from six furlongs] helped. She travelled really well and I think the draw has made a big difference today, I think she was well-drawn in nine.”