Item edged out Almaqam in the Juddmonte International

Item - will step up to a mile-and-a-half next year

Item set to step up to mile-and-a-half next season

Horse Racing

Mon September 14, 2026 · 3h ago

Andrew Balding is looking forward to stepping Item up to a mile-and-a-half for his four-year-old campaign next season.

The Juddmonte International winner produced a laboured display in Saturday’s Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, finishing sixth behind shock winner Hotazhell.

When asked on Sky Sports Racing if that performance suggested he needed further than ten furlongs now, the trainer said: “It looked that way. He was always under pressure to hold his position and stayed on well at the end, but it was all too late. The likelihood is he’ll stay in training next year and we’ll explore the mile-and-a-half options.

“There’s not really anything for him this season. I think we’ll have a nice break and probably look at something like the Sheema Classic next year. The feeling after Ireland was that we’d look towards next year."

Blue Bolt, in the same Juddmonte silks, recorded a third Group One win in a row in the Matron Stakes and is set for another domestic appearance before going on her travels in the autumn.

“I think we’ll look at the Sun Chariot. She’s come back and only lost six kilos for all the travelling and she certainly had a spring in her step this morning. We’ll look at the Sun Chariot; the timing is right and it would lead nicely into Keeneland,” Balding explained.

And the trainer added it was a case of so far, so good with Kalpana’s Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe preparations.

“She’s in great form and all roads are leading to Longchamp at the moment. I’m very happy with her,” he added.