Check out our horse-by-horse guide to Saturday's Group 1 Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket.
Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes
When: 15:00 Saturday, September 26
Where: Newmarket, Rowley Mile Course
First prize: £155,953
Going: Good
TV: ITV & Racing TV (Sky 424)
Carry The Flag (Aidan O’Brien)
Nine starts under his belt already and the high points read pretty well, such as a maiden win over Sun Goddess and a decent Curragh second to Great Barrier Reef. Showed bags of speed when second in the Prix Morny too but was well below that level at Doncaster last time and even his best efforts leave him just short of the pick of these rivals.
Confucius (Aidan O’Brien)
Beaten under two lengths by Great Barrier Reef in the Coventry Stakes but let down favourite-backers in Group 3 and Group 2 company at the Curragh since then. Too early to be written off but he skipped the Acomb at York (off his feed) and is probably best watched for the time being.
Folsom Blues (Joseph O’Brien)
Striking winner of the National Stakes at the Curragh, making it second time lucky in Group 1 company after following home Sun Goddess last month. Seemed to enjoy the step up to seven furlongs there and could be more likely to line up in next month’s Dewhurst than drop back to six this weekend. Having said that, he's solid in the antepost market and would be a big threat if lining up.
Force Noir (Robson De Aguiar)
Didn’t beat many home in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and while he took care of a moderate all-weather race at Dundalk recently and has been supplemented into this Group 1 field, he’s officially rated just 86 and is facing a tall order.
Great Barrier Reef (Aidan O’Brien)
Started the year with a bang and three wins including a fine performance in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. Skipped the Prix Morny and, on the back of a 74-day break, was turned over by Push The Boat Out in the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh on August 29. Entitled to be sharper for that outing and no doubt he has some of the strongest form in the book as he steps up to Group 1 level for the first time here.
Hell Of A Spin (Adrian Keatley)
Useful colt by Naval Crown who has been far from disgraced in Group company since narrowly winning his maiden second time out at Hamilton in July. Sole start over six furlongs to date came at York last time where he was hardly strong at the finish and he looks more than a touch vulnerable taking on some of these proven, high-class juveniles.
Inner City Blues (Charlie Appleby)
Returning son of Blue Point who is the choice of Charlie Appleby, who can seemingly do no wrong at present and has saddled the past two Middle Park winners. Improved his form to the tune of around a stone when backing up York maiden win in a July Course Group 2 last time (replay below). He has the "stature of his father" according to the trainer and while he lacks experience and a recent run, he looks an exciting prospect all the same.
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Man’s Best Friend (Aidan O’Brien)
Broke his maiden tag at the second attempt before overcoming traffic problems to ultimately win with something to spare in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood. Had his sprinting limitations exposed somewhat when only fourth of seven in last month's Prix Morny and he could be in need of a sterner test of stamina now.
Marco Polo (Aidan O’Brien)
Found the Gimcrack a bit too hot but he ran keenly and we probably didn't see the best of him on that occasion, soon setting the record straight with a long odds-on maiden win at Cork earlier this month. Debut second behind Push The Boat Out obviously reads well although he's got a bit to find with that one still and has it to prove heading back to Britain in such a hot contest.
Orthodox (Clive Cox)
Norfolk Stakes winner who blotted his copybook when a well-beaten sixth behind Senorita Bonita in the Prix Morny at Deauville. Test conditions may not have been absolutely ideal there but he needs to bounce back quickly and now also has stamina to prove as his two wins have come over the minimum trip.
Push The Boat Out (Michael O’Callaghan)
Unbeaten Kodi Bear colt who built on the promise of his Curragh maiden triumph to lower the colours of Great Barrier Reef in the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes late last month. No reason to believe that was a fluke but he may have caught the runner-up a bit rusty on his return from a break and interesting to see if he can maintain his arc of improvement and confirm superiority over the Ballydoyle horse.
VERDICT
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Push The Boat out looks the obvious each-way angle around 5/1 in Saturday's Middle Park as he's already beaten Great Barrier Reef and could still have plenty more to offer, but there must be a chance the pair of them will struggle to see of Charlie Appleby's latest top juvenile project INNER CITY BLUES (Timeform: 119p).
He handsomely accounted for a subsequent winner on his York debut in June before following up in the Group 2 July Stakes. It was just a three-runner affair this year but the second, Adaay Of Scarlett, is a fair yardstick and the winner had plenty in hand at the line. He's built like a colt who will continue to improve with racing and, with so much untapped potential for a yard that can do no wrong at present, it would come as little surprise were he to take the step up to the highest level in his sizeable stride.
Published at 16:00 BST on 21/09/26
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