Ridge gets off the mark comfortably
“Kieren is the best jockey in the country, and probably the best in the world.
“He just made a mistake last time and I hope he will ride for me again in the future,” he said.
Ballinger Ridge prompted a storm when he was eased down and beaten a short head at Lingfield last Tuesday.
Yesterday the gelding won comfortably for the first time in 20 attempts, landing the Cashbacks at Bet Direct Interactive Median Auction Maiden Stakes in the hands of Martin Dwyer.
The jockey breathed a huge sigh of relief as he dismounted, saying: “It all went to plan.”
Sent off the 4-5 favourite, Ballinger Ridge made all to beat Blue Savanna by three and a half lengths, with Mr Fleming six lengths further back in third.
Balding said: “I feel most thrilled for his owners, Hazel and David Barber, who are in Florida. They missed the original upset race but they were listening to the commentary over there.
“We put a visor on him this time so he could see horses coming from behind, and I told Martin just to keep pushing.
“The time before was an unfortunate episode.”
There were a clutch of radio reporters, seven photographers who do not usually attend the Surrey track, but no great crowd to see Ballinger Ridge break his duck.
Dwyer and the horse came back to a great reception in the winner’s enclosure, however.
Balding added: “The horse might be out in a valuable mile event a week on Saturday, back here. Then he is going to the sales.”
