15:00 Newmarket

Saturday 26 September 2026

All13:2213:5514:2715:0015:4016:1516:50

Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes (Group 1)

Off time: 15:02 | Winning time: 1m 9.96s

(1)

Confucius^b1⁷⁰

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Tom Marquand| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 101| BF| D

25/1

Decisive winner of a Naas maiden on second start and he progressed further when sixth in the Coventry at Royal Ascot. However, hasn't scaled same heights in finishing third in pair of Curragh Group contests subsequently. Headgear on.

Form: 21633

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(3)

Force Noir⁸

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: D Egan| T: Robson Aguiar| OR: 94

28/1

Confirmed debut promise when clear-cut winner of maiden at Naas. Did too much too soon in first-time blinkers when down the field in the Norfolk at Royal Ascot on sole run for Kevin Philippart De Foy but resumed progress when winning at Dundalk last week. Much more needed again, though.

Form: 2101

(2)

Hell Of A Spin³⁶

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Mikey Sheehy| T: A Keatley| OR: 101

33/1

Hamilton maiden winner who excelled himself up in class when third in Group 3 Molecomb at Glorious Goodwood and confirmed that was no fluke when filling the same position in the Gimcrack at York. Will do very well to place in this, though.

Form: 2133

(4)

Inner City Blues⁷⁹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| OR: 109| D

6/4

€900,000 breeze-up purchase who fully confirmed the promise of his debut win at York when following up in 3-runner Group 2 on the July Course 79 days ago, readily beating the Coventry runner-up. Still not the finished article and he looks the one to beat.

Form: 11

(5)

Marco Polo¹⁷

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: R L Moore| T: A P O'Brien| BF| D

9/2

Chased home fellow newcomer Push The Boat Out in maiden at the Curragh. All the rage for the Gimcrack at York but still looked very raw when well held. Got back on track when easily landing the odds back in a maiden at Cork and he remains with plenty of potential.

Form: 281

(7)

Orthodox³⁴

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Rossa Ryan| T: C G Cox| OR: 110

7/2

Justified market support for a Salisbury maiden on debut before following up in impressive fashion in the 21-runner Norfolk at Royal Ascot. Not in the same form in the Prix Morny at Deauville 10 weeks later but big player if bouncing back.

Form: 116

(6)

Push The Boat Out²⁸

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Shane Foley| T: M O'Callaghan| D

4/1

Beat fellow newcomer Marco Polo when making a winning debut in 19-runner maiden at the Curragh in August and took a big step forward when edging out Coventry winner Great Barrier Reef (who was returning from 10 weeks off) in Group 3 there later in the month. Looks well worth a crack at this level.

Form: 11

Forecasts

Inner City Blues (6/4), Orthodox (7/2), Push The Boat Out (4/1), Marco Polo (9/2), Confucius (25/1), Force Noir (28/1), Hell Of A Spin (33/1)

The highly-promising INNER CITY BLUES can provide Charlie Appleby with a third successive win in this Group 1, with his July Stakes form looking well up to standard despite the small field. Orthodox is the obvious threat if reproducing his Royal Ascot form, while the unbeaten Push The Boat Out looks the pick of the Irish.