Skip to content

Ten Sovereigns set to star in Middle Park Stakes

Trainer Aidan O'Brien after Highland Reel won Race 4, The Longines Hong Kong Vase during Longines Hong Kong International Race Day at Sha Tin Racecourse on December 10, 2017
Image: Trainer Aidan O'Brien

Ten Sovereigns will bid to cement his position as a leading candidate for Classic honours next year when he takes centre stage in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained No Nay Never colt looked smart when winning his maiden, and backed up that impression last time out in the Group Three Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh.

As a result, he finds only Too Darn Hot ahead of him with some firms in the ante-post market on the Qipco 2000 Guineas.

O'Brien told Press Association Sport: "Obviously it's not long since his last run, but we're happy with him since.

"We've been delighted with his two runs and he couldn't have done any more than he's done.

"He's won his maiden and Group race now, and had the two runs, so we're looking forward to seeing him run."

O'Brien also saddles Sergei Prokofiev, third in the Coventry Stakes but last of five on his reappearance in the Phoenix Stakes.

Latest Racing Stories

The Ballydoyle trainer added: "He's in good form. He's a fast horse and he was a little bit keen in the Phoenix Stakes, so we're hoping he'll settle better this time.

"We're hoping that he'll run well."

Another unbeaten colt in the race is the Simon Crisford-trained Jash, who has won his two starts by an aggregate of over 13 lengths.

He steps up markedly in class, but connections are keen to find out where they stand.

Angus Gold, racing manager to owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, said: "He is in good form. I spoke to Simon during the week and he's very happy with him.

"Simon doesn't think he's an out-and-out sprinter. He's a big, long, tall sort of horse who will hopefully step up to a mile at some stage, so it will be interesting to see whether he has enough pace for a Group One over six furlongs.

"It's a huge step up in class for him after winning a couple of small races, but he couldn't have done any more than he has and we'll see how he gets on."

Kevin Ryan did the Gimcrack-Middle Park double with Amadeus Wolf in 2005 and again with Astaire in 2013, and has high hopes of doing it for a third time with York victor Emaraaty Ana.

The once-beaten Shamardal colt was recently purchased by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, and North Yorkshire-based Ryan said: "Emaraaty Ana is a very uncomplicated horse who has come out of his Gimcrack win in good form. He is fresh and well.

"I don't need to see the form book to know how good a horse he is. I have held him in the highest regard from a very early stage and he has never let us down.

"The Gimcrack-Middle Park Stakes double is something that I have pulled off before and it just seemed the right way to go with him.

"I don't like to compare my horses from different generations, Amadeus Wolf and Astaire were both very good horses in their own right as is this fellow.

"Emaraaty Ana is a simple, straightforward type, so I don't foresee the undulations of the Rowley Mile being a problem to him, I would imagine it will be very nice ground. This will be his last run of the year and he will be much bigger and stronger next season."

Richard Spencer is looking for Rumble Inthejungle to bounce back after the Molecomb Stakes winner ran no sort of a race in the Flying Childers at Doncaster.

"We scoped him after the race and everything seemed fine with him. We thought maybe the ground wasn't great for him and we were probably drawn the wrong side, but he did a bit of fast work on Saturday and pleased us, so it's all systems go," said Spencer.

Rumble Inthejungle bumped his head in the stalls at Doncaster, but Spencer is keen to put the Town Moor race behind him.

"A few things didn't go our way, and that (the bump) could have been one of the reasons, but I'm not really looking into that too much. The horse has come back from Doncaster and seems fine at home, he's worked well, and the lads are happy with him.

"I think you need to put a big line through his run at Doncaster and hopefully we can make amends this week."

Around Sky