Balla Cove

Balla Cove made his first appearance in a five furlong maiden race at Newmarket Racecourse on 6 May and finished third of the six runners, four lengths behind the winner Able Express. Three weeks later in a maiden at Doncaster Racecourse he was moved up to six furlongs and finished second to Be My Chief. He dead-heated for fifth in a maiden at Haydock Park in June and was then stepped up in class and distance for the Listed Bernard Van Cutsem Stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket in July and finished third to Be My Chief. At Salisbury Racecourse he started at odds of 12/1 for the Whitchurch Stakes in which he was ridden by Steve Cauthen. He recorded his first victory as he took the lead from the start and won by two lengths from the Guy Harwood-trained favourite Digression (later to win the Royal Lodge Stakes).[6]

In the Solario Stakes at Sandown Park Racecourse on 18 August Balla Cove led until the last quarter mile but was then overtaken and finished last of the three runners behind Be My Chief and Robellation. On 5 October the colt was dropped back in distance for the Group One Middle Park Stakes over six furlongs at Newmarket in which he started a 20/1 outsider in a six-runner field. The Michael Stoute-trained Cordoba was made the odds-on favourite ahead of Rock City (winner of the Coventry Stakes, July Stakes and Gimcrack Stakes) whilst the other three runner were Batzushka, Duck and Dive (runner-up in the Phoenix Stakes) and Croupier. Ridden by Cauthen, he tracked the early leader Batuhka before going to the front approaching the last quarter mile and stayed on well to win by two lengths from Rock City.[7]

For his final appearance of the year, Balla Cove was sent to Florida to contest the Breeders' Cup Juvenile on dirt at Gulfstream Park on 4 November. He set the early pace and reached the final turn in third before finishing seventh of the twelve runners behind Rhythm, one place behind Pleasant Tap and one place ahead of Go and Go.

Balla Cove stayed in the United States after his run in the Breeders' Cup and was trained by several different handlers including Wallace Dollase, Ron McAnally, William Cesare and Jerry Hollendorfer. Racing mainly in California as a three-year-old he began his campaign by dead-heating with Land Rush in the Los Feliz Stakes at Santa Anita Park in January with Farma Way in fourth. His jockey Laffit Pincay commented "Into the stretch, I tried to make him switch leads, but he wouldn't. There were some nice horses in there and he hung on pretty well."[8]

In his subsequent starts that year he finished unplaced behind Mister Frisky in the Santa Anita Derby, third behind Itsallgreektome in the Grade III Will Rogers Handicap at Hollywood Park Racetrack in May and won the Round Table Handicap at Bay Meadows in September. He finished unplaced in his other seven races.[9]

Balla Cove remained in training as a four-year-old but failed to win in twelve starts. His best performances were second-place finishes in the Royal Owl Handicap at Santa Anita in January and a strongly contested allowance race at Arlington Park in August. He ended his racing career by running fourth in an allowance at Bay Meadows on 1 December.[9]