Berlin Tango dances to Classic Trial Kempton success

The Dansili colt raced four times as a juvenile, winning at Ffos Las in a novice race, and his best effort at two was a second place finish in the Listed Flying Scotsman at the Leger meeting.

He did have the benefit of a run at three, as well, as he was second at Kempton on March 4, and he put all of that experience to good use to win by a length and a quarter at 7-1 from the 40-1 outsider, Pyledriver.

Bright Melody was third at 9-2.

The Balding yard is seemingly in good nick since resumption, with Berlin Tango the third winner from Kingsclere since racing started again and it completed a double on the card for the stable and jockey following the earlier victory of Never Dark.

Betfair and Paddy Power are 33s about the winner for the Derby, but Balding is far from certain the colt will line up in the Epsom Classic.

He said: "He stayed well. He ran well enough here in the Kentucky Derby Trial before lockdown, he needed that race and stripped a bit fitter today, extra distance - he's a decent horse in fairness.

"He had a couple of good runs last year in Listed race but was still a bit raw, he's a nice stamp of horse.

"(David) seemed to think he will stay further, but there's so many options as it's an unusual year and we'll have to discuss it with Mr (George) Strawbridge (owner) and give him all the options and ultimately let him make the decision.

"He would need to be supplemented (for the Derby) which might be a brave shout, but we'll certainly look for something at Royal Ascot if it doesn't come too soon and he should have a good summer.

Probert said on Racing TV: "The race panned out pretty well and he's hit the line nice in the end. He's a pretty straightforward ride at home and he got into a good rhythm.

"I got slightly in a pocket turning in, but he's a professional. I think he will do [get a mile and a half], I think he'll be a decent middle-distance horse."

Born With Pride was the morning favourite but drifted markedly in the betting and she finished off the pace in a moderate seventh.

Race Analysis

Andrew Balding won the Classic Trial for the third time in the last seven years with Berlin Tango following on from Master Apprentice in 2015 and Bangkok last year.

Usually run at Sandown, this trial has a rich history having been the springboard for Derby winners Troy, Henbit, Shergar and Sharastani during a golden period in the late 1970s and 1980s, but it hasn't produced the Derby winner since Benny The Dip in 1997 - and he was second in the trial.

Bangkok was sent off at a single-figure price for the Derby last year on the back of his Sandown success, but he had an altogether more attractive profile than Berlin Tango and he could only finish 12th at Epsom.

It looks unlikely that this year's renewal, run on the Kempton polytrack, will have a bearing on the Classics. Berlin Tango looks a nice horse, but he looks to have benefited from superior fitness here - not only has the Balding yard hit the ground running following resumption, but this horse had a run in March, too.

Rated 98 after five races going into the contest, perhaps we'll get a better handle on how much he's progressed from two to three if he turns up at Royal Ascot.

Pyledriver belied his odds when getting a good run up the inside from the rear and he stayed on well for second. He clearly relished the step up to 10 furlongs.

The big disappointment of the race was Born With Pride. Weak in the market, she was dropped in at the rear and that's a stark contrast to her front-running success in a Listed race at Newmarket last November.

She ran on okay in the straight for seventh and will likely come forward from this when she gets back on the turf. (Ben Linfoot)

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