Earthlight out to shine in G1 Middle Park Stakes

Dubai: Unbeaten two-year-old Earthlight bids for a second G1 victory over six furlongs in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

The Shamardal colt has established himself as France’s top juvenile this year with four wins for Andre Fabre, most recently when gamely beating Raffle Prize by a neck in the G1 Darley Prix Morny at Deauville on Aug.18

Earthlight readily scored by four lengths over Well Of Wisdom in the G3 Darley Prix de Cabourg, run over the same course and distance as the Darley Prix Morny, at the end of July.

He also comfortably won a conditions race at Deauville earlier the same month and scored by a neck on debut at Maisons-Laffitte in June.

Mickael Barzalona, on board for all four starts, takes ride again.

Nine runners for the Middle Park Stakes include decisive York sales race winner Mums Tipple, the first two home from the G1 Phoenix Stakes – Siskin and Monarch Of Egypt – plus G2 winners Golden Horde and Threat.

Lisa-Jane Graffard of Godolphin said: “Andre Fabre has been very happy with Earthlight’s progress since the Prix Morny and he heads to Newmarket in top order.

“He is a very straightforward horse, with a great temperament, and goes into the race with a fantastic profile.

“This a different level of competition compared to the Prix Morny, as it should be for a championship race, but we are hopeful that Earthlight can run up to his best again.”

Saturday’s card also includes one of the UK’s most historic heritage handicaps, the Cambridgeshire.

Three Godolphin contenders for the nine-furlong contest include the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained duo of recent Chelmsford City runner-up Bedouin’s Story (Hector Crouch) and Dubai Horizon (Cieren Fallon), who makes his first start in over a year.

Dark Vision (Mark Johnston/William Buick) was successful at G2 level last season and the three-year-old returns to Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course having finished 12th in the G1 2,000 Guineas at the course in May.

Classic Fit looks to bounce back to form in the G3 Remington Park Oaks over an extended mile on dirt at Remington Park, USA, on Sunday, 29 September.

The daughter of Bernardini won or placed on her first five appearances for Michael Stidham but failed to beat a rival on her latest outing in the mile G3 Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mar on Saturday, 17 August.

She had previously finished a clear second on her seasonal return in the G2 Mother Goose Stakes over an extended mile at Belmont Park in June, and completed a hat-trick of wins with a neck verdict in the Hut Hut Stakes at Gulfstream Park in December.

Stewart Elliott comes in for the ride on Classic Fit, who faces three other three-year-old fillies, with G1 Kentucky Oaks third Lady Apple expected to provide strong opposition.