Matt Brocklebank takes an in-depth look at Saturday's Group One Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes with a horse-by-horse guide to the contenders.
Earthlight
Trainer: Andre Fabre
Form: 1111
Odds: 2/1
Analysis: Shamardal colt out of a New Approach mare so every chance we could see him over longer distances in the future. But for Pinatubo he'd most likely have stepped up in trip for the seven furlong Dewhurst Stakes, that said he's shown abundant speed in his four races so far, all of which he has won. Appeared to do so with a shade more in hand than the official neck margin when holding off Raffle Prix in the Prix Morny last time and he's clearly got lots going for him. Trainer Andre Fabre won this twice in the early 90s and seems keen to get some Rowley Mile experience into his star ahead of the spring.
Golden Horde
Trainer: Clive Cox
Form: 41513
Odds: 14/1
Analysis: Profile is one of steady progression and he's earned his mark of 113 following five runs all over six furlongs and on ground varying from good to form, to heavy. Pick of the bunch probably his Group Two Richmond Stakes defeat of Threat but he wasn't far off that level when third to Earthlight in the Prix Morny. Comfortably beaten off in France that day but absolutely no disgrace in the run with the fifth home A'Ali giving the form a boost with victory in the Flying Childers subsequently. Still a good chance he's improving and the return to better ground won't hurt.
King Neptune
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Form: 265055
Odds: 50/1
Analysis: Son of War Front who won a Dundalk maiden first time up in mid-April but hasn't added to his tally in seven subsequent starts. Latest fifth in big sales race Doncaster not far off the level of his clear second to Siskin earlier in the year but no obvious signs of improvement. Certainly not enough to see him walking off with this on his first try at Group One level.
Lope Y Fernandez
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Form: 1231
Odds: 12/1
Analysis: Loads to like about this sizeable son of Lope De Vega who shouldn't be judged too harshly on not being able to to quite live with Pinatubo a couple of times this summer. Has won his other two outings in good enough style and it's clear the drop to six furlongs - his first go at the distance having been raced over seven previously - worked the trick at the Curragh late last month. His proven stamina should stand him in good stead on this course and he's got to be of interest as he looks to follow in the hoofprints of Aidan O'Brien's last two winners of this race, U S Navy Flag and Ten Sovereigns - both subsequent July Cup winners.
Monarch Of Egypt
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Form: 122
Odds: 8/1
Analysis: Struck at Naas early doors with ready five-furlong success but suffered a minor setback which ruled him out of Royal Ascot. Brought back in late-June with a credible second to Siskin and got much closer to the same rival when beaten three-quarters of a length in the Group One Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh. Remains a work in progress and highly surprising if we've seen the very best of him yet, but others look a bit more ready for this kind of test.
Mums Tipple
Trainer: Richard Hannon
Form: 11
Odds: 5/2
Analysis: Broke the clock with his 11-length romp in the big sales race at York's Ebor Festival and no obvious fluke about that, especially when you consider how well his Ascot debut form has worked out. The runner-up from Ascot - Molatham - has since won a maiden and a Listed race while the fourth and fifth have also won three times between them subsequently. Very exciting colt who has done it on a stiff track, as well as a speed track so while we don't know how he'll handle the dip at Newmarket, the signs are good.
Siskin
Trainer: Ger Lyons
Form: 1111
Odds: 7/2
Analysis: Fine stamp of a colt who has seemingly been held in the highest regard from the word go. Gone through the ranks in very likeable fashion for Ger Lyons and although he didn't have masses in hand over Monarch Of Egypt in the Phoenix, there were genuine fears over him handling the soft ground on that occasion. No surprise to see connections sticking to sprinting for the time being, especially with Pinatubo on the scene, and he looks to have the perfect blend of experience and class.
Summer Sands
Trainer: Richard Fahey
Form: 3165
Odds: 50/1
Analysis: Didn't do much wrong in first three starts, beaten just two lengths in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot on the final of those runs but comfortably put in his place when stepped up to six furlongs in the Gimcrack. Sporting owners have declared him but he's not a serious candidate in this sort of company on all known form and is playing for minor honours.
Threat
Trainer: Richard Hannon
Form: 12211
Odds: 12/1
Analysis: Significant chance he's going to go under the radar slightly with the likes of Pinatubo around but he's a very, very smart two-year-old who seems sure to be trained with the 2000 Guineas in mind now. Participation here looked in some doubt with Mums Tipple in line to run for the yard but hard to see a drop back to six furlongs proving much of a stumbling block now allowed to take his chance.
VERDICT
A really deep edition of the Middle Park in which the value possibly lies with SISKIN. He's not quite put in a performance like Mums Tipple at York just yet but he's the kind of horse who gets on with his business without ripping up any trees. He handled the soft ground well enough to win the Phoenix Stakes but we could see a much better colt back on a sound surface this weekend. Lope Y Fernandez needs to step up a fair bit to match the principals, with Andre Fabre's Earthlight feared most following his cosy Prix Morny win over the quality filly Raffle Prize. The experienced and classy Threat cannot be ruled out either with a return to six furlongs of no great concern.