Tough Balmont Son Scores
Two-year-old colt Far Gaze, by Lynward Park Stud’s Balmont, proved both precocious and tough taking the Lingfield Park Owners Group Stakes (five furlongs) at Lingfield in England yesterday. (April 4)
Far Gaze, the 9/4 favourite ridden by Liam Jones for trainer Stan Moore, swept to the front a furlong out and ran away to win by two lengths in 1.0.74 in conditions described as ‘cold with snow flurries.’
At his only two previous starts Far Gaze was third over five furlongs at Wolverhampton on March 27 and second over five furlongs at Southwell the day before his Lingfield win!
Bred in Ireland, he’s from Novosibirsk, by Distant View.
Jones went to school in Liverpool with Wayne Rooney and, like his more famous alumni, dreamt of playing for Everton in the premier league. Told he was too small be to a footballer, Jones enrolled in the Northern Racing College at Doncaster. He linked-up with prominent trainer William Haggas in 2005 and they have scored several big race wins together.
Moore started out in Ireland with Paddy Prendergast and Vincent O’Brien. His best win has been with Tote’s Gallery in the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp.
Another Irish-bred Balmont son, Balmont Mast, was a closing neck second in the Group 1 $2 million Golden Shaheen (six furlongs) in Dubai last Saturday.