Middle Park Stakes Tips: Whistlejacket tough to oppose
In a barn storming afternoon at Newmarket, the second Group 1 on the card is the Middle Park Stakes at 3pm. Aidan O'Brien sends a strong team over and Billy Grimshaw can't see his star attraction in this big race...
Barring one for Godolphin, the only two horses in here sub 10/1 are from Ballydoyle. Ides Of March brings a fascinating profile into the race considering the clear improvement he has shown with each appearance, and in most years he could well be favourite in here after romping to a Curragh win last time out, scoring by over three lengths. Sean Levey is booked and we know how well he can get on with these raiders from Aidan O'Brien's stable after his fantastic ride to win the Leger with Jan Breughel, so he is definitely in the mix.
The reason he is not favourite is that his stablemate WHISTLEJACKET looks a bit special. He may not be the unbeaten two year old star that Ballydoyle often have at this time of the season, but in his defeat thus far he has not exactly disappointed. In the race before this one we could get a nod to his class if Babouche wins the Cheveley Park, as she beat Whistlejacket last time out. I'm not convinced Whistlejacket was seen to best effect that day and with plenty of cut in the ground I fancy he can get back to winning ways.
He lost on debut on soft / heavy but was green as grass that day and since then, all his wins have come with soft in the description. Providing its not a real bog that turns the race into a lottery, I think he has the best form coming into the race and actually anticipated him being nearer 4/6 than the evens we are being offered.
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Shadow Of Light is a son of Lope De Vega, usually indicating he will enjoy the mud, so it was curious that his team pulled him out of the Mill Reef last weekend due to the going. Appleby may well pull him out again at Newmarket tomorrow as the ground will certainly be no drier than it was last week, however if he is allowed to run he could give the Irish raiders most to think about. I'm not sure he is up to the standard of certainly Whistlejacket though, and would want much more than 5/1 about him.
Richmond Stakes winner Black Forza could be overpriced at 12s each-way as I am more than happy to totally forgive his blowout over in Kentucky last time out. He showed at Goodwood that he can overcome a slow start, and while that race is nothing like as strong as this one I am convinced the trip to the states will at least have made him better out of the gate. If he starts on terms in here he could well bag second.
The rest of the field have a job on to be getting in the mix truth be told, although I was a tad surprised to see 50/1 being dangled in a few places about Andrew Balding's Jouncy. He chased home Symbol Of Strength at Kempton last time out and while that race was nowhere near the standard of this one, he looks a horse with ability and could outrun his odds.