3 minute read
Filly becomes third Group 1 winner for former shuttler No Nay Never
The Andrew Balding-trained Alcohol Free (2 f ex Plying by Hard Spun) took out Saturday’s Cheveley Park Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) at Newmarket and in doing so became the third Group 1 winner and 25th stakes winner for former Coolmore Australia shuttler No Nay Never (Scat Daddy).
Owned by prominent owner Jeff Smith, the filly came into the race having finished second to Happy Romance (Dandy Man) in the Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes (Gr 3, 6f) at Salisbury on September 3 after breaking her maiden at Newbury three weeks prior. On Saturday, she beat Miss Amulet (Sir Prancealot) by half a length with Umm Kulthum (Kodiac) another head back in third. Happy Romance was another length and a quarter back in fourth.
"We had the option to run in the Rockfel but Jeff was always very keen to go for the Group 1 – and he was dead right," said Balding. "He has been with us for a long time and has been a big supporter, so it's great to get him a Group 1 winner."
Bought by Smith’s Littleton Stud for €40,000 at the 2018 Goffs Ireland November Foal Sale, Alcohol Free is out of the three-time winning Hard Spun (Danzig) mare Plying who has produced one other winner to date in French Listed winner Alexander James (Camelot).
Her second dam is the stakes placed Fairy King (Northern Dancer) mare Nasaieb who produced nine winners including Flying Childers Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) placed filly Kissing LIghts (Machiavellian). Further back this is the family of Solario Stakes (Gr 3) winner Raise A Grand (Grand Lodge).
No Nay Never’s progeny include Group 1 winner Ten Sovereigns and South American Grade 1 winner Brooke as well as seven Group 2 winners. He shuttled to Coolmore’s Hunter Valley farm for four seasons between 2016 and 2019 but has not returned this year.
Alcohol Free is now as short as 16-1 with bookmakers for next year’s 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m).
"She's a super filly," said winning jockey Oisin Murphy. "She's a Group 1 winner now and certainly fits into the 1,000 Guineas category as she hits the line well and also relaxes. Andrew has done a top job with her because he's had to carefully manage her training regime. She's very generous at home and he's kept a lid on her.”
The filly's Starspangledbanner (Choisir) half-sister is catalogued as Lot 337 at the forthcoming Goffs Ireland Orby Sale from the draft of Knockatrina Stud.
A thrilling race!
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) September 26, 2020
Alcohol Free holds them off to land Group One glory for @oismurphy and @AndrewBalding2 in the @JuddmonteFarms Cheveley Park Stakes pic.twitter.com/MAtSHNLVkd
