September 27, 2019
Nine go to post for the Middle Park, the favourite Earthlight from France is one of three unbeaten, Mums Tiple, second favourite from England and Siskin third favourite from Ireland also have yet to taste defeat.
Siskin in the pre-parade ring at the Curragh before the Pheonix Stakes 
The French
Andre Fabre trainer of Earthlight initially planned the Dewhurst as the next target for his G1 Prix Morny winner however he’s been rerouted here primarily to avoid a clash with Pinatubo who now sets the juvenile standard after demolishing the field at the Curragh in the G1 National Stakes field a couple of weeks ago, a 9L winner, against decent opposition. With both colts in the same Godolphin ownership, it’s no surprise connections wish to keep them apart, at least this year.
In the Morny Earthlight was a convincing winner from Raffle Prize and Golden Horde who’d both brought a good level of form into the race.
Raffle Prize arrived in France on the back of a win in the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes here in July when a 1¾L winner over Daahyeh, she thereafter went down a ¾L second to Love in the G1 Moyglare Stakes at the Curragh and further advertised the value of that form by winning the G2 Rockfel here today.
The English
Prior to the Morny Clive Cox’s Golden Horde beat Richard Hannon’s Threat in the G2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood, Threat then went on to win the G2 Gimcrack Stakes at York (with Richard Fahey’s Summer Sands 6L behind) and then took the G2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.
Mums Tiple, also from the Richard Hannon stable won a sales race at York’s Ebor meeting. To say the least, it was convincing, he pulled clear to win a whopping 11L under Ryan Moore and whilst he may not have beaten much, it was the manner of the victory and more importantly the clock, not far off track record for a 6 f juvenile, that hit the wow button.
The Irish
Siskin the other unbeaten colt travels from Ireland and like Earthlight comes with a G1 on his CV.
He broke the G1 mould, at least at home for trainer Ger Lyons and jockey Colin Keane when taking the Pheonix Stakes in August. It was a very good performance, especially considering he didn’t have his perceived ground. His three previous wins were all achieved on good or better, however the day of the Pheonix, the ground was soft, verging on heavy up the straight yet he still won with some authority, it was a demonstration of, good one’s go on any ground. Monarch Of Egypt trained by Aidan O’Brien reopposes, he’d also been beaten by Siskin in the G2 Railway Stakes previously.
Aidan is also represented by Lope Y Fernandez, twice no match for Pinatubo in the Chesham Stakes and Vintage Stakes but a G3 win in the Round Tower Stakes at the Curragh last time out will have restored some confidence. King Neptune will set the pace.
Conclusion
This race tends to throw up sprinters in their classic year rather than milers.
Ten Sovereigns and US Navy Flag, the last two winners of this both won the G1 July Cup in the following season. Earthlight and Mums Tiple are talented fast two-year-olds, one of them may well win the G1 July Cup next year. Threat’s on the up, Golden Horde is not to be written off and the O’Brien pair may well find more, they’ll have too.
It’s Siskin who stands out, he’s just a different proposition, he was asleep in the ring before the Pheonix. Then there was an incident, only the genius of Aidan O’Brien could have planned this, last out of the ring, on the way to the start Seamie Heffernan was thrown by his mount, he ran a couple of furlongs and then made a beeline for Siskin, no panic, Colin Keane and Siskin calmly corralled him and reunited him with Seamie, not a bother on Siskin.
He’s by First Defence whose biggest success came in the Grade 1 Forego Stakes on Dirt at Saratoga, his mother, Bird Flown, is by Oasis Dream, the 2003 July Cup winner, that’s where the speed comes from.
So not only is he also a very fast two-year-old, he’s one with a hell of a laid back attitude, so much so you could even see him go a mile this year. It’d be interesting if that was on dirt.
He’ll take this on his way.
Recommendation: Siskin 11/2 win
