By Tom Frary
Emulating his half-brother Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal), Godolphin's Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}–Winters Moon {Ire}, by New Approach {Ire}) took a major stride forward to dominate Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. Content to track the 4-5 market-leader Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never) and the front-running Dash Dizzy (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), the Charlie Appleby-trained 11-4 second favourite, who had been second in the G2 Gimcrack Stakes at York in August, was sent forward by William Buick to take command approaching two out and surge to an emphatic four-length success. Whistlejacket, who was the sole Ballydoyle representative after the withdrawal of Ides Of March (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), held on for second by 1 1/2 lengths from Dash Dizzy.
“He'd improved a lot since York, where he didn't get the rub of the green and the ground was an unknown today but he was impressive,” Buick said of the winner, who had won a maiden at Yarmouth and novice contest at Newmarket prior to his second to Cool Hoof Luke (GB) (Advertise {GB}) at York. “He's growing up all the time and is very versatile as to how races are run. He rides like a very quick horse and he could get further, but he looks a six-furlong horse to me.”
Appleby added, “I wouldn't have said he was unlucky in the Gimcrack by any stretch, but we all know it is a big step up to that level and he learned plenty from there. As a physical, he has maintained it but mentally he jumped forward so much from that run and we came here quietly confident today. He is a three-parts brother to Earthlight, so there is plenty of pedigree on that page and, being by Lope De Vega, we were hopeful he would go on the ground.”
“I would imagine we will put him away for the winter now and it will be a case of whether we look towards the 2,000 Guineas or a Commonwealth Cup programme. From his page, I would say he is a Commonwealth Cup horse. There is a lot of speed there and, as he gets stronger, he will probably get quicker.”
Aidan O'Brien said of Whistlejacket, “Ryan said he jumped a little bit slow, so he decided to get a lead and he travelled a little bit strong. He's a very fast horse and so Ryan felt he might have preferred a stronger tempo in the first half of the race. He's very consistent and there's a possibility we might look to take him to America now.”
Pedigree Notes
Shadow Of Light and the aforementioned Earthlight, who also captured the G1 Prix Morny, are out of the G1 Fillies' Mile-placed Winters Moon (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) who is in turn a half-sister to the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud hero Mandaean (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) and the G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Wavering (Ire) (Refuse To Bend {Ire}).
Wavering was responsible for the triple listed scorer and G1 Prix Rothschild runner-up Life In Motion (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Street Cry's group-placed duo Switching and Flowrider, while the second dam Summertime Legacy (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) was successful in the G3 Prix des Reservoirs and was third in the Saint-Alary. Winters Moon's yearling colt is by Too Darn Hot (GB), while her foal is a full-brother to the winner.
Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
JUDDMONTE MIDDLE PARK STAKES-G1, £291,580, Newmarket, 9-28, 2yo, c, 6fT, 1:12.29, sf.
1–SHADOW OF LIGHT (GB), 128, c, 2, by Lope De Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Winters Moon (Ire) (G1SP-Eng),
by New Approach (Ire)
2nd Dam: Summertime Legacy (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Zawaahy, by El Gran Senor
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN, 1ST GROUP 1 WIN.
O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick.
£165,355. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $294,046. *1/2 to
Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal), G1SW-Eng, G1SW-Fr, $634,415.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Whistlejacket (Ire), 128, c, 2, No Nay Never–Adventure
Seeker (Fr), by Bering (GB). (500,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT). O-P
Brant/Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith; B-Camas Park, Lynch
Bages & Summerhill (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £62,690.
3–Dash Dizzy (Ire), 128, c, 2, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Dream The
Blues (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP
BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (€300,000 Ylg '23 ARAUG).
O-Mr Nurlan Bizakov; B-Fethard Bloodstock (IRE); T-Charlie
Johnston. £31,374.
Margins: 4, 1HF, HD. Odds: 2.75, 0.80, 40.00.
Also Ran: Black Forza, Jouncy (GB), Defence Minister (GB). Scratched: Ides Of March (Ire), Intrusively (GB).
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