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Balmont Son In Major Near Miss

				
Balmont Mast, a five-year-old son of Lynward Park Stud’s Balmont, has almost pulled off a major international upset.


Starting at 40/1 in Saturday’s $2 million Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (six furlongs), Balmont Mast flew home along the inside to finish a neck second to Reynaldothewizard (10/1).


Last year’s Golden Shaheen winner Krypton Factpor (12/1) was a half length away third. Mental, winner of the Group 1 Patinack Classic in Australia and the 5/2 favourite, finished 10th.


Balmont Mast, a $23,000 Irish-bred yearling, is  part-owned and trained by Eddie Lynam and was ridden by Johnny Murtagh.


He has won four times in Ireland, headed by the Listed Mercury Stakes (five furlongs) at Dundalk, when the Australian-bred four time Group 1 winner Starspangledbanner was fourth.


Reynaldothewizard, a seven-year-old, is raced by Sheikh Rashid, the oldest son of Sheikh Mohammed, the driving force behind his families Godolphin racing stable and owner of the Darley breeding operation.


A half brother to dual US Group 1 winner Seventh Street, Reynaldothewizard started his career with Eoin Harty in the US. He has now won all three Meydan starts this year after a winless 2012.