Blackbeard loots Middle Park prize and leads home one-two for O’Brien

Aidan O’Brien may not have had such a memorable season by his normal high standards, but Ballydoyle Stable two-year-old colts handed him a brace in the Group One Middle Park stakes on Saturday at Newmarket with Blackbeard clearly sprinting from The Antarctic.

There was major pre-race concern as the eventual winner took his normal turn of going all out in the preliminaries and consequently drifted 100-30 in betting but kicked clear in the closing stages to win by two lengths and became the third horse to win a Group 1 in Great Britain for the trainer this year.

O’Brien, who was recording his seventh victory in the contest, said: “He’s a character [at home]. There’s no malice in him, but he doesn’t have much patience. Some people don’t mind waiting, others like to go and so does he.

“He can do whatever he wants, he’s a very important horse for us. He is very fast and always very professional. It started very early [in the season] and held its form very strong. I think it’s all about speed rather than a guinea horse.

Asked if Blackbeard will now head to next month’s Breeders’ Cup meeting in the US, O’Brien said it was a ‘definite possibility’ but his horse had been busy this season and that he should see how he took this race.

O’Brien was then asked about sidelined Little Big Bear, who beat third-placed Persian Force much more devastatingly when last seen in August, and said: “He’s a horse to be hoped for and there’s plenty of stamina on the mother’s side – he’s the one we have in mind for Guineas next year.

Given how quick the winner is, he is unlikely to be among the stable’s classic race contenders next year and Betfair featured Blackbeard 5-1 for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, a obvious target for him in his three-year career.

The 15-8 favorite Marshman shot way too hard before trailing in fifth and his jockey Clifford Lee said his mount was “way too enthusiastic” with him.

Ralph Beckett has an enviable record with fillies and Lezoo joined his list of winners on the distaff side with an earlier win over O’Brien-trained favorite Meditate in the Cheveley Park Stakes. Betfair reduced the winner 25-12-1 for next year’s 1,000 Guineas, but the Commonwealth Cup sprint contest – for which they are 16-1 with Coral – looks a more likely target.

“Unfortunately I don’t see Lezoo staying a mile – I never thought she would. I think it’s highly unlikely, but the filly who finished fifth [Juliet Sierra] will,” Beckett reported.

There were plenty of upsets elsewhere, with The Foxes 17-2 shot beating Dubai Mile and 2-7 Flying Honors favorites in the Royal Lodge at Newmarket and O’Brien failing to win the Beresford Stakes at the Curragh for the 12th time away when their 4-7 favorite Adelaide River had no response to Michael O’Callaghan’s Crypto Force final kick.

The Foxes earned a 25-1 Betfair citation for the 2023 Derby after picking up a confused pace at best and manager Andrew Balding said: “I would have thought that would be it for this season. He has Futurity entry at Doncaster, but he is a horse that will continue next year.

Charlie Appleby said of the much-loved Flying Honours: “We’re just going to end this – it was a weirdly well-run race. Whether we give him another run, I’m not sure, we’ll see how he does. I might just give him one more to squeeze him in. He’s in Doncaster, but there’s a practice race here in a few weeks, the Autumn Stakes. He knows the track now.

Coral makes Crypto Force a 33-1 shot for next year’s 2,000 Guineas, while it is 25-1 with the same company for the Derby at Epsom. ” It is enormous. I’m happy for [owners] Kia Joorabchian and Amo Racing. He’s been a big fan of mine this year and he’s let me go to the swings and buy some nice horses. Hake [Keane, the jockey] said he could become a Guinea horse over the winter,” said winning trainer Michael O’Callaghan.

Apprentice Aidan Keeley set off from the beat aboard the Mick Channon-trained Majestic to clinch the main betting race of the day at Newmarket, the Cambridgeshire Handicap.

It was the young driver’s first time racing on the track and he was understandably emotional afterwards. “I’m thrilled to win a race like this, it’s by far the best of my career, I don’t really know how to put it into words,” he said.

“I had a lot of help from the jockey trainers and all my family and thanks to Mr. Channon for driving me. There are a lot of people behind, I’m just the one riding the horse. It was my first race at Newmarket so it was a thrill in itself regardless of it being a winner and in Cambridgeshire – I just can’t put it into words.