Windlord takes the honours in the Listed Gala Stakes

Windlord showed dogged resolution to earn a first blacktype win the hard way in Friday's Listed Gala Stakes at Sandown.

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News and European Bloodstock News, 5th July 2025:

Handed a lead by Caviar Heights from the outset, the homebred was forced into a prolonged battle with that rival from two out and only edged it in the dying strides with the photo required to split the game duo.

Trainer Andrew Balding was pleased with the result, but felt it was no guarantee in the closing stages: “I know Caviar Heights, I bought him as a yearling and trained him as a two-year-old, so I know he is tough and I wasn’t sure we were going to get past.”

His dam Goldika, who was acquired by Juddmonte from the Wertheimers, is one of the daughters of their extraordinary multiple top-level and multiple champion Goldikova whose other progeny include Galileo's Gr.3 Prix Cleopatre winner and Gr.1 Prix de Diane-placed Terrakova and Dubawi's Goldistyle who was successful at Listed level and finished third in the Gr.1 Prix Rothschild. Her two-year-old colt Sintra (also in training with Andrew Balding) is by Kingman, while she also has a yearling full-sister to Windlord.