racing_news/

SHADWELL MIDDLE PARK STAKES
5th October 2007

Dark Angel Toughs it Out for Barry
05/10/07

Trainer Barry Hills recorded his third victory in the Group One Shadwell Middle Park Stakes, following Gallic League (1987) and Royal Applause (1995) when Dark Angel recorded a game success in the 2007 renewal.

Partnered by Michael Hills, the two-year-old Acclamation colt led for most of the way and stayed on well to hold on by half-a-length from Strike The Deal in the six-furlong race. This was a first Group One success for Dark Angel, who had previously won the Group Two Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury and the valuable St Leger Sales Race at York.

“Tough, isn’t he?” was the initial reaction from Barry Hills.

“I had £3,000 on him when he ran in the July Stakes in the summer and he finished fourth. Now he has won a Group Two and a Group One!

“”He has a good cruising speed and is tough.

“As he has got more experience, he has improved.

“If he does run again this season, he could maybe go for the Darley Dewhurst Stakes (run over seven furlongs at Newmarket on Champions’ Day, Saturday, October 20). I think he will be a sprinter next year, but you never know.”

Hills believes the ground may have been to blame for Dark Angel’s disappointing effort in the five-furlong Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster on his penultimate appearance.

He continued: “I have thought about asking Matthew Tester (BHA Handicapper) to do an analysis of the form at Doncaster.

“A lot of my horses didn’t run up to form at the St Leger meeting and I think the ground was a bit funny up there.

“Like Ascot, it seems there is no bottom to the ground and it needs time to settle.”

Winning rider Michael Hills added: “Dark Angel has done nothing but improve all year and always sticks his neck out and gives 100 percent.

“He really couldn’t give you any more from a jockey’s point of view.”

Barry Hills also saddled third-placed Tajdeef and commented: “I was slightly disappointed with Tajdeef today as I thought he would run better and probably finish in front of the winner.

“Having said that, he had only had two races before today and it is always tough in Group One races. “

GUTSY STRIKE THE DEAL COULD HEAD TO SALES

Strike The Deal could be offered at the Tattersalls Horses In Training Sale later this month after putting in a gutsy performance to finish a half length behind Dark Angel when second in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes.

“It was a good performance and I couldn’t ask for more,“ said trainer Jeremy Noseda. “I said beforehand that although I didn’t think he would win, he would definitely be in the first three.

“We’ll have a talk with the team that own him about what to do, I’ve got a few ideas, but he is entered in both the Horses In Training Sale and December Sale here.“

Trainer Neville Callaghan was pleased with the effort of fourth-placed Red Alert Day. “He wants seven furlongs really so it was a good run, slower ground would have helped. We thought we’d take a chance at this trip and `we’re not far off, that’s him for the year now,“ said Calllaghan.

“He’s a good-tempered, sound horse and whether he goes over seven or a mile next year, there are some decent races in him.“

3.15PM SHADWELL MIDDLE PARK STAKES

Class 1 Group 1 £170,000 Guaranteed. For 2yo entire colts 6f Weights 8st 12lb Penalty value 1st £102,601.46 2nd 38,886.64 3rd 19461.39 4th 9,703.59 5th £4,860.83 6th 2,439.45

1) DARK ANGEL (The Hon Mrs J M Corbett & C Wright) Barry Hills - 2-8-12 Michael Hills [1] 8/1
2) STRIKE THE DEAL (The Searchers) Jeremy Noseda - 2-8-12 Eddie Ahern [10] 9/1
3) TAJDEEF (Hamdam Al Maktoum) Barry Hills - 2-8-12 Richard Hills [5] 9/2
4) RED ALERT DAY (Gallagher Equine Ltd) Neville Callaghan - 2-8-12 Frankie Dettori [7]
5) ACHILLES OF TROY (M Tabor, D Smith & Mrs John Magnier) Aidan O'Brien IRE - 2-8-12 Johnny Murtagh
6) DREAM EATER (J C Smith) Andrew Balding - 2-8-12 Franny Norton [8]
7) ROCK OF ROCHELLE (Her Diamond Necklace Farms Fze) Andrew Kinsella IRE - 2-8-12 Valdir De Souza [9]
8) SIR GERRY (Mrs Gerry Galligan) James Fanshawe - 2-8-12 Jamie Spencer [4] 2/1Fav
9) PROUD LINUS (J M Walsh) Declan Carroll - 2-8-12 Stephen Donohoe [6]

Non-Runner: All In The Red

Time: 1m 12.08s Distances: .5, nk, 1.5, 1.25, sh, 3.5, 3, 3
Breeder: Yeomanstown Stud Breeding: Gr c Acclamation - Midnight Angel (Machiavellian (USA))
Tote Win: £10.70 Places: £3.20, £2.70, £1.80

Winning trainer:-Name: Hills, Barrington William Born: Worcester, 2/4/37;Date of first licence:1969;First winner: La Dolce Vita (Thirsk, April 18,1969) Previous Occupation: Served apprenticeship with Fred Rimell and George Colling, Head Lad with John Oxley for 10 years Classic wins: (4) 1000 Guineas (1978 Enstone Park), 2000 Guineas (1979 Tap on Wood, 2004 Haafhd), St Leger (1994 Moonax), Other major wins: Ascot Gold Cup (1984 & 1985 Gildoran), Betfred Sprint Cup (2007 Red Clubs), Challenge Stakes (2001 Munir), Champagne Stakes (1977 Sexton Blake, 1985 Sure Blade, 1998 Auction House, 1999 Distant Music), Champion Stakes (1983 Cormorant Wood, 2002 Storming Home), Chester Vase (1979 Cracaval, 1973 Proverb, 1999 Peshtigo, 2001 Mr Combustible), Classic Trial (2001 Chancellor), Dee Stakes (1970 Golden Monad, 1972 Our Mirage, 1973 Natsun, 1975 Ravel, 1979 Two Of Diamonds, 1985 Infantry, 1987 Sir Harry Lewis, 1989 Free Sweater, 1990 Blue Stag, 1998 Prolix, 2002 Sohaib), Dewhurst Stakes (1988 Scenic (DH), 1996 In Command, 1999 Distant Music), Diadem Stakes (2006 Red Clubs), Falmouth Stakes (1976 Duboff), Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (1972, 1973 Rheingold), Greenham Stakes (2001 Munir, 2006 Red Clubs), Irish Oaks (1974 Dibidale, 1994 Bolas), French St Leger (1994 Moonax), Irish Derby (1987 Sir Harry Lewis), Irish 1000 Guineas (1993 Nicer, 1999 Hula Angel), Lowther stakes (2006 Silk Blossom), Nunthorpe Stakes (1988 Handsome Sailor), Prestige Stakes (2002 Geminiani), Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe (1973 Rheingold), Royal Whip Stakes (2002 Chancellor), Shelbourne Hotels Goffs 500 (2006 Silk Blossom), Sunn Chariot Stakes (2006 Spinning Queen); Sussex Stakes (1990 Distant Relative), Weatherbys Bank Cheshire Oaks (1974 Dibidale, 1987 Chaudennay, 1992 Aquamarine, 1994 Bolas, 1998 High And Low, 1999 Valentine Girl, 2005 Alumni) Wins in 2007: 80 Wins in a season (1987-2006): 96: 93: 73: 113: 99: 63: 39: 44: 74: 84: 79: 78: 109: 72: 107: 91: 107: 82: 101; 103 Horses in training (1984-2007): 107, 125, 139, 131, 140, 152, 175, 159, 129, n/a, 113, 120, 130, 137, 145, 150, 148, 160, 167, 168, 186, 148, 163, 153 Trains at South Bank Stables, Lambourn

Winning jockey:-Name: Hills, Michael Patrick.Born: Newmarket, 22/1/63 Apprenticeship: With Jeremy Hindley. First winner: Sky Thief (Nottingham 13/8/79) Classic wins: (1) Vodafone Derby (1996 Shaamit) Other major wins include: Ascot Gold Cup (1994 Arcadian Heights), Champion Stakes (2002 Storming Home), Coronation Stakes (1997 Rebecca Sharp, 2005 Maids Causeway), Dewhurst Stakes (1985 Huntingdale, 1988 Scenic, 1996 In Command, 1999 Distant Music), Duke Of York Stakes (2006 Steenburg), Fillies’ Mile (1989 Silk Slippers), Goodwood Cup (1992 Further Flight), Greenham Stakes (2006 Red Clubs), Haydock Sprint Cup (1997 Royal Applause, 2007 Red Clubs), Irish 1,000 Guineas (1993 Nicer, 1999 Hula Angel), Irish Champion Stakes (1995 Pentire), King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1996 Pentire), Lockinge Stakes (1997 First Island), Lowther Stakes (2006 Silk Blossom), Nunthorpe Stakes (1988 Handsome Sailor), Prix de l'Abbaye (1988 Handsome Sailor), Prix Jean Prat (1999 Golden Snake), Shelbourne Hotels Goffs 500 (2006 Silk Blossom), Sussex Stakes (1996 First Island), Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes (2006 Spinning Queen) Wins (1990-2006): 61, 65, 91, 86, 89, 74, 80, 84, 61, 94, 73, 58, 66, 58, 66, 56, 69 Other details: champion apprentice 1983 Wins in 2007: 45