Vandeek, Relief Rally and Aablan among two-year-old stars entered for Newmarket

Middle Park high on quality

Vandeek features among the 13 confirmations for Saturday’s Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket.

Trained by Simon and Ed Crisford for owners KHK Racing Ltd, the son of Havana Grey brings an unblemished record to the table having backed up his Nottingham maiden success with victory in the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood and the Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville last month.

He ran down the Christopher Head-trained filly Ramatuelle in France, the pair coming two lengths clear of Coventry Stakes winner River Tiber in third, and Aidan O’Brien’s Wootton Bassett colt could get another shot at the winner this weekend, having been returning from a 61-day break and minor setback at Deauville.

O’Brien has also left in Convivial Maiden winner and Flying Scotsman fourth Battle Cry, along with Military, a once-raced son of Siyouni who justified 2/7 favouritism when making a winning debut at Naas on September 14.

Also in contention for Saturday’s six-furlong prize, won by the likes of Perfect Power, Earthlight, Dream Ahead and Oasis Dream since the turn of the millennium, is the Ralph Beckett-trained Task Force, who represents Juddmonte.

He made it two from two with an impressive display in a Listed race at Ripon last month (replay below) and he could be joined in the field by stable companion Starlust, who has been supplemented for the Middle Park after his Group 3 victory in Kempton’s Sirenia Stakes.

Behind Starlust at Kempton was the Andrew Balding-trained Array, who franked the form by winning last Saturday’s Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury. He’s another in the famous Juddmonte silks to have been left in this weekend.

The Gimcrack winner Lake Forest, trained by William Haggas, is also on course to clash with Vandeek and company, along with Clive Cox’s Jasour, Freddie & Martyn Meade’s Sketch and Elite Status from the Karl Burke yard.

Givemethebeatboys (Jessie Harrington) and Group 3 Round Tower Stakes winner Letsbefrankaboutit (Paddy Twomey) remain in the picture too.

Ace in the pack: Vandeek

Watch out for: Task Force

Rally to the cause in Cheveley Park

The Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes invariably sees Group 1 glory go to the speediest juvenile of the year and few would begrudge Relief Rally taking the leading role after her sparkling effort in the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes at York.

Trained by William Haggas for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, whose ‘double green’ silks are typically associated with some of the stars of the jumps season, the daughter of Kodiac was recording her fourth win of the season when beating Cherry Blossom on the Knavesmire last month.

Her sole defeat came after an agonising, fast-finishing second to Crimson Advocate in the Queen Mary Stakes and she wedged a scintillating Weatherbys Super Sprint success in between Royal Ascot and the Ebor Festival.

Aidan O’Brien has left Cherry Blossom in the race, along with Moyglare Stud Stakes also-ran (40/1) Pearls And Rubies and the thrice-raced maiden Sweetest.

The master of Ballydoyle’s son, Donnacha O’Brien, is also represented in the Cheveley Park, the Moyglare third Porta Fortuna set to fly the flag.

She’s Quality (Jack Davison) is the fifth potential Irish runner, while there is French interest but not through ante-post favourite Ramateulle, who was not confirmed on Monday. Instead, Jasna’s Secret, trained by Carlos and Yann Lerner, is expected to put her unbeaten record on the line.

The daughter of Galiway impressed with a three-length victory in a conditions race at Deauville last month, a performance that saw her bought up by the Emir of Qatar’s Wathnan Racing group, but she has not yet been tested at Group level.

The Duchess Of Cambridge heroine Persian Dreamer (Dominic Ffrench Davis) forms part of the home defence, along with the Charlie Johnston-trained Sacred Angel, who was pitched in against Vandeek and River Tiber after winning the Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot, finishing fourth in the Prix Morny.

Ace in the pack: Relief Rally

Watch out for: Jasna's Secret

No complaints over Lodge entries

The Group 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes, won by the mighty Frankel in 2010, kicks off Saturday’s card at Newmarket and 18 colts have stood their ground for the one-mile event.

Charlie Appleby has yet to win the race but went mighty close when subsequent 2000 Guineas winner Coroebus was run down late by Royal Patronage in 2021 and the Godolphin trainer has Aablan leading the way this term.

The son of Dubawi justified skinny odds when making a successful debut on the July Course before following up in workmanlike fashion when again well backed for the Group 3 Solario Stakes at Sandown earlier in September.

He could face stiff opposition from Aidan O’Brien’s Capulet, a Dundalk maiden winner who took his form up several notches when beaten half a length by stable companion Diego Velazquez in the Group 2 Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown.

Haydock Listed winner Al Musmak is set to represent Roger Varian, while Arabic Legend could bid to keep up the good work from Andrew Balding’s two-year-olds as he looks to return to winning ways following a second to Aablan’s stablemate Arabian Crown at Salisbury last month.

Clive Cox has had the race in mind for Ghostwriter ever since he defied a winners’ penalty in a novice event at Ascot on September 9 and Jayarebe (Brian Meehan), Defiance (Varian), Per Contra (Ollie Sangster) and Los Angeles (O’Brien) are also looking to protect their unbeaten records.

Ace in the pack: Aablan

Watch out for: Arabic Legend

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