Alcohol Free poised for Sandown return

Qatar Sussex Stakes heroine Alcohol Free could make her seasonal bow in the bet365 Mile at Sandown on Friday.

Andrew Balding’s star filly underlined her brilliance when she beat the boys at Goodwood in July.

Up against 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace winner Poetic Flare, Breeders’ Cup Mile victor Order Of Australia, her Falmouth Stakes conqueror Snow Lantern and Summer Mile scorer Tilsit, Alcohol Free displayed a devastating turn of foot to give the Kingsclere handler another notable highlight.

The Jeff Smith-owned daughter of No Nay Never, who ended her juvenile campaign with Group One success in the Cheveley Park at Newmarket, enjoyed a highly fruitful three-year-old campaign, starting off with victory in the Fred Darling at Newbury, before securing a second top-level success with a scintillating display in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Balding is delighted she has stayed in training and she has been pencilled in for a crack at the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on May 14, should she come through her seasonal debut with flying colours.

Balding confirmed: “Alcohol Free stays in training. She has done well and all being well, I’m hoping she will run in the bet365 Mile at Sandown.”