Middle Park Stakes 2025 Tips & Preview: Big Race Prediction

The Middle Park Stakes is the first British Group 1 for two-year-old colts, although earlier opportunities exist in Ireland and France. It is a race that has often produced top-class horses for the following year, mostly sprinters in the modern era. It is a race that requires speed and class, as well as the know-how to handle Newmarket's undulating Rowley Mile.

Middle Park Stakes Predictions

The two-year-old division is still in need of a superstar. Usually, if one is not apparent by now, they will never come. As such, the sensible play in the Middle Park is with the clear form pick, the Charlie Appleby-trained Wise Approach. Aidan O'Brien has by far the best record of any modern trainer in the race and, although he does not run ante-post fancy Gstaad, he still has three of the nine entries and one is likely to be thereabouts, with Brussels being one to note.

1-2-3 prediction:

1. Wise Approach
2. Brussels
3. Coppull

Key Runners & Form Analysis

Wise Approach has clearly the best form in the race. He was second to Charles Darwin in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and has built on that since. He beat the subsequent Gimcrack runner-up by four lengths in a Listed race at Newbury, then was beaten only half a length in the Group 1 Prix Morny in late-August. His half-brother won this race four years ago, so this is a natural big race for him to contest.

The Publican's Son made his debut in a Group 3 in August, six days after Wise Approach was last seen. He finished a promising second, coming from out the back of the field into the bargain. He is a real dark horse, having an American pedigree and coming here on the back of just one previous run. Coppull is the next-best to Wise Approach on form. He won the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and then was fifth in the Morny. If he can put that run behind him, he deserves plenty of respect for a yard that won this race in 2020.

Trainer & Jockey Insights 

The dominant trainer in the Middle Park is Aidan O'Brien. He has won three of the last eight runnings and seven overall, with the latter making him the race's all-time leading trainer. He had Gstaad in the field at the five-day stage, but instead he relies on Kansas, First Approach and Brussels. The last of those, who was giving weight away when fourth in a valuable race at Doncaster last time, is the one that makes most appeal of his trio at likely prices.

Trends & Stats

Although the Middle Park is the first Group 1 for two-year-olds in Britain, the pecking order in the division tends to be fairly well established by now. There has not been a winner of the race at double-figure odds since 2017 and in the meantime four of the seven winners have returned as the starting price favourite. A generation ago the Middle Park was treated as a serious trial for the following year's 2000 Guineas.

No horse has done the double in over 30 years and the Dewhurst Stakes back here in a few weeks’ time is the main Guineas trial of the Autumn. More often than not, a modern Middle Park winner will become a sprinter, with the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot a common aim. Perfect Power won the Commonwealth Cup in 2022, having won the Middle Park the previous Autumn.