Connections of Great Balls Of Fire

Newmarket review: Goodness, gracious - Great Balls O'Fire wins at HQ

Horse Racing

Sat August 22, 2026 · 2w ago

A review of the action from Newmarket on Saturday.

Goodness, gracious...

Great Balls O'Fire left owner Phil Cunningham dreaming of bigger and better things after proving too hot to handle on his debut in the Nags Head Cutting British EBF Novice Stakes at Newmarket.

The Richard Spencer-trained son of Too Darn Hot, who cost 135,000 guineas as a yearling, paid a small slice of his price tag back when making his first start a winning one in the six furlong contest.

Although racing out on a wing for much of the race, the 6/4 favourite picked up well under George Wood before passing the post a length and a half clear of fellow newcomer Sky Symphony.

Cunningham said: “I’m relieved now after that. I’ve been hearing what he has been doing on the gallops and I get all the videos. Richard has thought a lot of this horse for a long time.

“He bought him from Plantation Stud, where Richard’s best mate James Berney runs the stud. He wanted to buy him, and fortunately we did. He could be quite nice, we think.

“It was strange watching the race as we were getting a little bit involved with the fancied horses on this side and I thought they might have got clear over the far side.

“Once he got into gear George said he was very good. We’ve got a few more to come out so it is down to where Richard wants to shuffle the cards. I think he is the best of what we have run so far.”

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Botti's Prince lands the Hopeful

Marco Botti saw his decision to turn Prince Of India around quickly rewarded with victory in the Hopeful Stakes.

Seven days after chasing home Coppull in the Group Two Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes at Newbury, the talented son of Wootton Bassett gained compensation back on home territory.

However, the front-running success secured by the four-year-old in the six furlong Listed prize were tactics that the Newmarket-based Italian did not see coming.

Despite being up on the sharp end throughout, the 6/4 favourite, who finished sixth over course and distance in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup, was not for stopping under Pat Dobbs.

Having seen off those that raced prominently it was left to the strong travelling Elarak, who was last sighted finished third over a furlong further in the Betway Bunbury Cup at the track, to throw down the final challenge.

However, the Charlie Hills-trained gelding couldn’t get to grips with the well-supported market leader, who found plenty under Dobbs before prevailing by two lengths.

Botti said: “I wanted him to take a lead and get him settled, which is his usual style. All my plans I had in mind just went out the window.

“When he jumped out, and he was clear, I thought ‘Oh God!’, but Pat didn’t want to break his stride. He was happy there and he won well.

“It has been a frustrating year with him because he has been running well, but he has not been getting his head in front. I thought the July Cup he ran a massive race, but probably didn’t have the luck to get the gap when he needed it.

“Last weekend he ran well, but he just had to come across and get to the winner, but it has worked out today.

“I must say the first part of the race I was concerned as I thought it was going to be a bit of a mess, but the experience of a good jockey let him enjoy and be happy where he was.

“I said to the owners that he came back after the race at Newbury bouncing and in great form. We don’t like to run horses back that quick, but if it wasn’t at Newmarket I wouldn’t have even considered it.

“He loves this track. His best form is on the July Course so I said we should just take our chance. Sometimes it does work, and it has worked out well.”

Although Prince Of India holds an entry in the Betfred Park Stakes at Doncaster next month, Botti admits he is likely to swerve the Group Two test and look toward the Group One Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot, which he was cut to 25/1 for by Paddy Power, instead.

Botti added: “I think we will skip Doncaster, but Ascot is where we want to go. We have got to monitor the ground as I don’t think he wants it too soft. Today it was good ground, but he wouldn’t want it too soft.”

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Vegas, baby!

Night In Vegas left his rivals all shook up when finishing to good effect to run out a decisive winner of the £200,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes.

Arriving on the back of a fifth in the Group Two Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, and a third at the same level in the Markel Richmond Stakes at Goodwood, the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained colt, who is known as Elvis, made his class count dropped in grade.

Victory appeared to be heading the way of Zigazig Ah, who was chasing a second big sales race pot having got up late to claim last month's Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury, when skipping clear of the pursuing pack during the closing stages of the six furlong test.

However, although getting the better of most of the field, the daughter of Rajasinghe had no answer to the 6/5 favourite, who sailed past inside the final furlong before pressing on to score by a length and a half.

Sam Hoskins, racing manager to owners Kennett Valley Syndicates, said: “We are over the moon, and it is so special for all of our members.

“There is a lot of history with sales races for us because our founder, Nick Robinson, founded Kennett Valley to win the inaugural Cartier Million in the late 1980s.

“It has always been a bit of a target to have, and we have had a bit of luck in recent years. Eve has done a wonderful job.

“We could have run in the Gimcrack this week, but realistically we were running for third or fourth. We were in here, and it is worth a lot of money, so we wanted to give it a go.

“We bought this guy late on Thursday evening at Book Three (October Yearling Sale at Tattersalls). Six days later he came to our yearling parade and we sold all the shares in him.

“He is known as Elvis as he is such a dude. He has given us such days out as he won his first two then went to Royal Ascot. He was then third in the Richmond, which was an amazing day.

“I thought Callum (Hutchinson) gave him a great ride. He knew Zigazig Ah was there, but he kept his cool.”

A trip to Doncaster in pursuit of another valuable pot could be in store for Night In Vegas, with Hoskins hinting that an outing in the Weatherbys £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes could be on the agenda ahead of a trip to Ascot on Qatar Racing Champions Day.

Hoskins added: “There is a race at Doncaster on September 10th, which would be quite interesting, but we will let the dust settle. There is also a race on Champions Day. There are some nice options so we will see. We will enjoy today as we have had a lot of luck today.”

There was to be more success on the card for Hutchinson, who went on to complete a brace on the day courtesy of the short-head victory secured by the Lucy Wadham-trained Arqoob (15/2) in the Blackwell Earthmoving 70th Anniversary Handicap Stakes.

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