Trained by Andrew Balding, the son of Kameko has shown considerable progress throughout the year with his latest victory coming in the Grade 1 Summer Stakes at Woodbine, a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf over a mile mile.
Balding reflected on New Century’s development, saying, “He’s got a great constitution and has taken everything in his stride. From travelling to Canada and winning, to preparing now for the Breeders' Cup. He’s been flying at home since he arrived back from Canada.”
Balding acknowledged that New Century wasn’t initially one to impress: “When he first came into training, I wasn’t wowed by him until his fifth or sixth piece of work. He’s a horse that learns and improves, and he’s turned into a fantastic competitor."
The Breeders' Cup poses a unique challenge with its tight turns at Del Mar, but the trainer remains optimistic. He said: "It’s probably not the ideal track for him, but this is the Breeders' Cup – a million-dollar Grade 1 – and we’re going for it. We’ll need a bit of luck with the draw, but he’s taken international travel in his stride.”
New Century carries the legacy of his sire, Kameko, and his jockey Oisin Murphy sees many similarities between the two.
Murphy said: "New Century is compact and has a great mind. He’s not as big as Kameko, but his mentality is spot on. He’s improving with every run this season. It’s great to have a leading chance and I hope he can give me my second Breeders’ Cup victory."
David Redvers, Racing Manager for the owners, said: “New Century was bred at Tweenhills, he’s by Kameko and he’s trained by Andrew (Balding) - the whole story has come full circle.
"Winning at the Breeders' Cup is one of Sheikh Fahd’s unfulfilled ambitions. To have a genuine contender in New Century gives the whole operation a huge boost."
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