Report: Qatar Racing moves horses away from Andrew Balding

Qatar Racing has taken its horses out of the barn of trainer Andrew Balding. They include Grade 1 winner New Century, who is expected to race in the U.S.

The decision to move the horses was reported Friday by Peter Scargill and David Carr of Racing Post.

Last year for Balding, New Century won the Summer Stakes (G1) at Woodbine and finished fourth behind Henri Matisse in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. In his only start so far at age 3, New Century finished fifth beaten 5 1/4 lengths by Field of Gold in the Craven Stakes (G3) at Newmarket.

New Century was listed by the British Horseracing Authority as having been transferred from Balding to trainer James Ferguson as of Thursday. But Ferguson told Racing Post that within the next week, New Century would be shipped to the U.S. to continue his career stateside.

Qatar Racing is operated by Sheikh Fahad and his brothers Sheikh Hamad and Sheikh Suhaim. Sheikh Fahad has had horses with Balding since 2011, when he was racing as Pearl Bloodstock, and was one of its original trainers when Qatar Racing was formed in 2012.

The highest-profile horse that Balding and Qatar Racing had during their working relationship was New Century's sire Kameko. The Kentucky-bred son of Kitten's Joy won twice at the top level, including in the 2000 Guineas (G1) at Newmarket. Balding and Qatar Racing also were the team behind the globetrotting Side Glance, a Group 1 winner who finished third in the Arlington Million (G1) in 2013 and 2014.

The other top-level winner from Qatar Racing and Balding was Elm Park, who won the 2014 Racing Post Trophy (G1) at Doncaster as a juvenile.