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Beat The Bank, successful in four of his five career starts and an easy three-length scorer on both of his last two outings, will attempt to continue his climb up the ranks of Europe’s top milers when he runs in the Group 2 Shadwell Joel Stakes at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile Racecourse on Friday (29th September).
This £100,000 one mile contest has attracted an exciting field of nine runners, including two from the yard of Irish Champion Trainer, Aidan O’Brien - Sir John Lavery and Whitecliffsofdover.
It will mark the Northern Hemisphere debut of Whisky Baron, winner of one of South Africa’s biggest races, the Sun Met (formerly known as the J&B Met), when last seen on a racecourse at Cape Town back in January.
Other interesting runners are the popular veteran, Sovereign Debt, successful in Group 2 company at Sandown back in April; Custom Cut, who will be running in this event for the fourth consecutive year, having won it in 2014 and finished second 12 months later; and the lightly-raced four-year-old, Zonderland, runner-up in each of the last two renewals of the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood.
Initially trained in Ireland by Darren Bunyan, Beat The Bank has suffered a solitary defeat (when tenth in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot) since joining his current handler, Andrew Balding.
The winner of a conditions race on the Rowley Mile back in April, his two latest starts have brought smooth victories in the Listed Robinsons Mercedes-Benz Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket’s Moët and Chandon July Festival and in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood.
Andrew Balding, trainer of Beat The Bank, said:
“Beat The Bank has not been seen out for almost two months because we decided to give him a little break and miss the Celebration Mile, but I am very happy with him.”
“He was also entered in a Group 2 at Chantilly on Saturday but we opted to go for the Shadwell Joel instead because it was closer to home and because he already has form on the Rowley Mile. He is fairly versatile when it comes to ground conditions so the current good going will be fine for him.”
“He has done everything that I have asked of him both at home and on the racetrack, apart from one blip at Royal Ascot, and seems to be a very solid individual.”
“I am keen not to get ahead of myself with him, and only time will tell just how good he could be, but he does hold an entry in the [Group 1] Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on QIPCO British Champions Day.”