Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes
Group 1, Newmarket 15:00
£275,000 added,
2yo only,
6f, Class 1  
Saturday 28th September 2019

SureWIn

1 Earthlight 11/4F
2 Golden Horde 16/1
3 Summer Sands 100/1
8 ran NR: Siskin Distances: nk, 1¾l, ½l
Time: 1m 9.31s (fast by 0.39s)

The Andre Fabre-trained Earthlight held the persistent challenge of Golden Horde in the hands of Mickael Barzalona to land Group One honours in race that was highly-anticipated. 

However, there was a shock at the start where the also-unbeaten Siskin was withdrawn after the Ger Lyons-trained colt reared and went down in the stalls.

In race itself, King Neptune went off at a furious pace, followed by runaway York winner Mums Tipple, Golden Horde and Summer Sands.

Earthlight and Threat were towards the rear and it was the former who burst through to make his bid, only for Golden Horde to prove a worthy rival.

It was close home that the 11-4 favourite was able to assert and score by a neck from the Clive Cox-trained Golden Horde, with Richard Fahey’s Summer Sands outrunning his odds of 100-1 to finish a length and three-quarters back in third.

While always a man to be respected when he sends a runner to Headquarters, Fabre is a rare visitor to the Middle Park, having enjoyed headline successes with the likes of Zafonic and Xaar in the Dewhurst.

He said: “It is just a matter of having the right horse, it is a difficult race to win. You need speed and experience, and this horse has both.

“I was very confident all the way, as he was travelling easily and I know he (Barzalona) still had something under the saddle, so I was confident.

“For sure (will get a mile), he could even go a bit further – with the pedigree. We’ll prepare for the (2000) Guineas, see what happens – he is the right type, but he will go further, he will get a mile and a quarter.

“He will go back home, idle, eat well and sleep – he usually does. He is done for the season.

“We just felt it (six furlongs) was a bit sharp for him, but he has a lot of class and I was confident to be fair.

“I’ve had horses like Zafonic, who was a machine, but he is a different type.”

SureWIn

Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (Group 1)
£275,000 added, 2yo only, 6f, Class 1
8 ran
Going: Good

POS (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (4)    Earthlight 2 9-0 A Fabre Mickael Barzalona 11/4F
2 (8) nk Golden Horde 2 9-0 Clive Cox Adam Kirby 16/1
3 (9) 1¾ Summer Sands 2 9-0 Richard Fahey Barry McHugh 100/1
4 (1) ½ King Neptune 2 9-0 A P O'Brien Wayne Lordan 66/1
5 (6) ¾ Threat 2 9-0 Richard Hannon Pat Dobbs 8/1
6 (5) shd Lope Y Fernandez 2 9-0 A P O'Brien Donnacha O'Brien 9/1
7 (3) 1¼ Mums Tipple 2 9-0 Richard Hannon Oisin Murphy 3/1
8 (7) 1¾ Monarch Of Egypt 2 9-0 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 9/1
NR 7 (2) 1111 Siskin 2 9-0 G M Lyons NON RUNNER

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