Middle Park Stakes Guide 2021

A brilliant debut season for the Richard Fahey trained Perfect Power has seen the Ardad colt pick up three victories from his five career starts.

Showing plenty of promise on debut, he took a major step forward to easily break his maiden at the second time of asking at Hamilton over 5 furlongs.

He backed that up with an electric performance to win the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, with subsequent Railway Stakes winner Go Bears Go in 2nd.
He’s since made the move up to 6 furlongs and left behind an unlucky run at Goodwood to easily capture the Prix Morny at Deauville last month.

His form sets a strong standard at the head of the market and he’s going to take some beating.

Ger Lyons brings over his 2 year old Dr Zempf. Despite only winning one of his three runs, he’s been highly consistent and has acquitted himself well in deep contests.

A perfect debut at the Curragh saw him break his maiden at the first time of asking but he’s since struggled to make the transition up to higher grades.

Sent off favourite for the Railway Stakes off the back of the debut win, Dr Zempf could only manage 4th behind Go Bears Go.

He managed to reverse that form when last seen in the Phoenix Stakes last month but couldn’t get the better of Ebro River and had to settle for 2nd.

He’s improved for his two runs in group company and will likely take another step forward but just looks to lack the quality to win a Group 1.

A showcasing colt trained by Alan King, Asymmetric quickly knocked up a brace of wins in novice events at the start of the season.

With a couple of wins under his belt over 6 furlongs, he tried to make the step up to group company but was just held by the impressive Lusail in the July Stakes at Newmarket.

He gained compensation for his narrow defeat when taking group honours at Goodwood to seal the Richmond Stakes.

Last seen coming 3rd behind Perfect Power over in France, he shaped well but couldn’t live with the pure pace that Perfect Power had in the closing stages.

Unlikely to reverse that form.

Another Irish raider, this time for Fozzy Stack, Castle Star was narrowly denied in his first two starts in maiden company. Going down by a short head and then a neck over sprinting trips.

Connections moved him up in grade and he duly broke his maiden in listed company over the minimum trip at the Curragh.

He proved that that was no fluke when backing up over 6 furlongs on rain softened ground in a Group 3 only a few weeks later.

He put in a great effort in defeat to be 2nd in the Railway Stakes to Go Bears Go.

He was prominent in the market for the Phoenix Stakes off the back of that but failed to live with the front three home and settled for a 4th place finish behind Dr Zempf and Go Bears Go.

He’s got something to find on the bare form with rivals who look unlikely to trouble the favourite but he’s a good potential each way angle.

Mentioned previously as he has plenty of form with rivals in this race, Go Bears Go was a game winner of a novice event at Ascot before a narrow loss to Perfect Power at the same venue in the Norfolk Stakes.

His narrow defeat was left behind as David Loughnane took his charge to the Curragh and he made the trip worth it when winning the Railway Stakes with a bit in hand.

Returning to Ireland as favourite for the Phoenix Stakes, he had to settle for 3rd place behind Ebro River and Dr Zempf.

He’s not been seen since but finds himself longer in the market than Castle Star who he got the better of at the Curragh and a break from racing may have done him some good.

A solid each way option to hit the frame.

Richard Hannon saddles Armor here off the back of a narrow defeat at Doncaster in the Flying Childers Stakes.

He’s spent most of this season over the minimum trip, having won his debut over 5 furlongs before coming a respectable 5th in the Windsor Castle Stakes.

He easily notched a Group 3 win during Glorious Goodwood with a brilliant display in the Molecomb but couldn’t withhold that form when stepped up to 6 furlongs behind Perfect Power at Deauville.

Unlucky not to win when last seen dropped back down in distance, connections seem confident that this is his best trip but he has 2.25 lengths to find with Perfect Power and looks held on the Deauville form.

A Mehmas colt who’s acquired some decent experience for Clive Cox this season, Cattura has already seen himself on course seven times in his short career.

Taking the experience he gained on debut, he broke his maiden at the second attempt when winning at Bath with ease over the minimum trip in novice company.

A good effort saw him come 7th in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot before taking a listed contest at Newbury.

His form took a dip after as he finished stone last in the Richmond Stakes behind Asymmetric at Goodwood but a drop in trip back down to the minimum distance saw him get the better of Armor when last seen at Doncaster.

His price is probably big compared to that of Armor but he’s done his best work over 5 furlongs this season and might just lack the quality to be as effective in a deep race over 6 furlongs.

A thrice raced colt by War Front represents Aidan O’Brien here. Debuting over 6 furlongs at Naas back in July, he shaped well and showed some promise to come 3rd.

The form didn’t look anything special but he managed to win on his next start at Navan over 5.5 furlongs.

The form being boosted as it’s produced subsequent winners, HMS Endeavour took another step forward when winning a 5 furlong conditions race on the all weather at Dundalk only last week.

He doesn’t have the most outstanding form in the field but he’s in form and improving. There is however reasonable doubt over his effectiveness at 6 furlongs.

The most experienced runner in the race is Twilight Jet as he’s been churned out eight times this campaign.

Connections have experimented with his trip often this season, he was beaten over 5 furlongs on debut and then finished 5th well behind Castle Star at the Curragh over 6 furlongs after that.

He’s since been held by Perfect Power and Go Bears Go subsequently, with his only win coming over 5 furlongs at Tipperary back in June.

He’s tried his hand at a couple of group races over 6 furlongs and 7 furlongs and has posted a couple of good place efforts but doesn’t look up to the quality of winning this.

Only seen twice for Aidan O’Brien, New York City is still a maiden but has run well enough twice in defeat.

Debuting over 6 furlongs at Dundalk he went down narrowly behind two rivals who have done the form no favours since.

Last seen coming 2nd over the minimum trip at Naas in maiden company he kept on well but just lacked the pace to land the lethal blow.

The race was too recent for the form to be tested but he looks very out of his depth in this contest.