Balding seeks Group 1 glory in Criterium de Saint-Cloud with classy Via De Vega

Criterium de Saint-Cloud (Group 1) | 1m2f | 2yo | SSR

Doncaster is not the only venue for a Group 1 juvenile clash between Aidan O’Brien and Andrew Balding on Saturday, with the two powerhouse stables also clashing in Paris.

As in the Vertem Futurity Trophy, Balding is outnumbered by O’Brien with only one runner making the journey from Kingsclere compared with three travelling from Ballydoyle.

Via De Vega represents Balding and owner Pdr Properties and is stepping up significantly in grade having raced just once so far, winning a mile novice contest at Sandown last month.

That victory came at odds of 14-1, but Balding has long felt the son of Lope De Vega has the attributes to make a top-level performer, be it in France on Saturday or in the future.

He said: “He’s stepping up in trip but we think that will suit him, as should the ground. We think he’s a horse who has the potential to make a high-class performer at some point, so hopefully he can put in a good performance.

“He’s the sort of horse who could have gone to Doncaster [for the Vertem] but he wasn’t entered at the early closing stage. We could have supplemented him but it was a lot when we had this as an option.”

Via De Vega is joined at Saint-Cloud by Sound Of Cannons, meaning there are more runners trained in Britain running in the race than Doncaster’s final Group 1 of the season.

Brian Meehan: 'Sound Of Cannons has got a really strong, solid chance”Credit: Horse Racing Brian Meehan

Trained by Brian Meehan, Sound Of Cannons made a winning debut before coming up short in black-type contests the last two times, although Meehan is optimistic of an improved effort.

“He looks great and he’s travelled really well over there,” he said. “The big point with him was that when he ran in the Royal Lodge there were possibly more tempting races for him the following week with the Autumn Stakes and so on, but I wanted to get another run in before the Saint-Cloud race and the week later wouldn’t have suited his regime. So I ran him in the Royal Lodge when he was possibly still getting to that level.

“I was backed into a corner a bit because he needed another run, but he’s a horse on an upward curve and I think he’s spot on for the Criterium. I thought it was a great run in the Royal Lodge, but he’s improved again and he’s got a really strong, solid chance.”

O’Brien sends across maiden winners Celtic High King, Arthur’s Kingdom and Mythical for the 1m2f contest, the latter being the only one to have been tried in stakes company when fourth in the Zetland Stakes at Newmarket.

Christophe Ferland heads the home defence of the race with two runners, Thunderspeed and the progressive Listed winner Pao Alto. Group 3-placed The Summit and Mkfancy are the other two to line up.

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