Soumillon shows his Perfect timing

Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (Group 1)

WITH less than two lengths covering the first seven home in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes, the obvious conclusion is that the race must be lacking a superstar, but 11/4 favourite Perfect Power (Richard Fahey/Christophe Soumillon) won with his ears pricked under very confident handling, and was a fair bit better than his margin over most of the field.

While runner-up Castle Star (Fozzy Stack/Jamie Spencer) was unlucky in running, the others all had their chance in a rather messy race, and the winner had already shown form in advance of this when an impressive winner of the Prix Morny where he again showed a sharp turn of foot to run down more prominently ridden rivals.

Armor (Richard Hannon/Pat Dobbs) was fourth to Perfect Power in the Morny, and got closer in third this time in third, half a length and a neck behind the winner.

The early leader was Go Bears Go, but Twilight Jet quickly went on and set a brisk gallop, with his rider keen to exploit the stands-side rail, and the field as a whole followed.

That left Perfect Power, drawn lowest of all, in an awkward position, well off the pace and away from what was considered the fastest strip, but Soumillon was unperturbed, and ensured that by keeping wider on the track, he met no interference.

That wasn’t true for Castle Star, who raced with the winner at the rear, but had to weave through horses to launch his challenge, and that certainly cost him a chance to throw down a more telling challenge.

With less than half a furlong to go, there were seven horses almost in line across the track, but Perfect Power, arriving widest of that septet, produced the best acceleration to take control in the last 50 yards, and was a rather comfortable winner despite the congested finish.

Negative

Winning trainer Richard Fahey said: “I’ve been watching racing all week and when we got stall one, I thought ‘someone down there doesn’t like me!’. I was very negative in my own mind, but he is a special horse. The way he quickened up today – it took a special ride and a special horse to win like that today.

“We knew were struggling from the draw and Christophe said, ‘I’ll drop him right out today’. I said, ‘you do what you like, kid’. He’s a ball of a horse who has had a busy enough time.

“When you go to Royal Ascot, then you go to Glorious Goodwood and then Deauville and then here, it’s tough – but he loves it.”

Regarding the future, and whether the 2000 Guineas might be an option, Fahey added: “We had a board meeting about two months ago and we said we’d go Richmond, Deauville and then here. We haven’t got any further than that.

For a two-year-old, he’s very special. He’s very easy and has a super mind. When he’s not exercising, he eats and then goes to sleep.

“He could step up on pedigree. His sire was a fast two-year-old and we don’t know much about his progeny, but on the dam’s side we’ve every chance of staying.”

Richard Hannon was delighted with Armor and is keen to give his colt another crack at a big prize this season, reasoning that he has developed more than expected physically; there are no suitable Group 1 options, but he could be entered for the Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar in November.