Ten Sovereigns Reigns Supreme In the Middle Park

Both unbeaten and carrying TDN Rising Star tags, Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Jash (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) had a strong renewal of the G1 Juddmonte Middle Park S. between them at Newmarket on Saturday but there was no stopping a resurgent Team Ballydoyle and the operation's latest beau ideal duly prevailed. Registering the final part of a treble for the stable in the day's big races all ridden by Donnacha, the emphatic Aug. 25 Curragh maiden and Sept. 1 G3 Round Tower S. winner was sparking the kind of heavy pre-race gamble which had been absent for much of this year as the yard faltered in a rare lull. As Fairyland (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) had been in the preceding Cheveley Park, the 8-13 favourite was always content tracking the fast early pace showing a straightforward attitude. Sent to the front with over a furlong remaining, he was joined by Jash who at times looked as if he could spoil the Rosegreen party but despite the persistent threat of Shadwell's representative held sway by a half length at the line. There was a further 3 1/2-length margin back to the G3 Molecomb S. winner Rumble Inthejungle (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) in third, underlining he quality of the two protagonists. “It's incredible and I'm very lucky to be riding these good horses,” his rider said reflecting on a golden afternoon on the Rowley Mile. “Everything went right today, but it was the first time he has shown greenness. This was a big step up on a different track and he travelled beautifully, but he changed his legs and ran around the place. He's got a great attitude and a lot of talent and that got him through. He's still a bit away from being the finished article and judging by the size of him it might be that the stronger he gets the faster he is. We probably won't see the best of him until next year and personally I'd love to see him go sprinting. The Guineas is an important race and if he trained that way he could go for it, but in my opinion I'd like to see him sprinting.”

That Ten Sovereigns has been able to rise above the stable woes and defy the in-and-out trend of the Ballydoyle runners this year and be unbeaten without fuss says it all about his pure natural talent. He is a genuine “no excuses” racehorse much as his sire was as he took Europe by storm during the summer of 2013. Aidan O'Brien, who was winning this for the sixth time, was backing up his son's impression of the winner as being all about speed. After the Classic exploits of last year's hero US Navy Flag (War Front) in 2018, it may be that Ten Sovereigns is not asked to try a mile especially given the prestige of the G1 Commonwealth Cup in the current schedule. Of the 24 group 1-winning juveniles over six furlongs that he has trained, only George Washington (Ire) and Mastercraftsman (Ire) have gone on to capture a European mile Classic. “He's very fast with a lot of class and he'd have learnt a lot today ,” he said. “We rushed him to get him here and the exciting thing for us is that the No Nay Nevers have justified themselves and that's good for the whole program going forward. Donnacha said this is the first time he's shown greenness and it has all happened quite quickly for him, so I'd imagine he'll be put away for the year. Donnacha said he's very fast and couldn't say he'd get a mile, but he is a horse who relaxes. If he does get it, a mile is as far as he'd want to go but the Scat Daddy thing is speed and we always thought that would be his strength.”

If Ten Sovereigns stays at speed trips, Jash is moving up in distance according to Simon Crisford. “I'm absolutely thrilled and it was a huge effort,” he said. “He was beaten by a better horse on the day and I'm convinced he'll get a mile and be even better then. He lacked experience, as the winner did, and they are two very smart horses and strong Guineas contenders. Jash is still very much on the leg and he's got that very charming Harry Potter marking on his face. I was hoping he'd bring a touch of magic today! He'll have a Guineas prep and I'm sure Sheikh Hamdan will want to put him away for the year now.”

Despite the fact that No Nay Never looks to have stamped this colt, there is hope in the pedigree of the winner that a mile is within his compass, being out of Seeking Solace (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) who was second in the Listed Prix de la Seine over 11 furlongs. She is a half-sister to the seven-furlong specialist and G2 Al Fahidi Fort runner-up Flash Fire (Ire) (Shamardal) with their dam being the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial runner-up Flamelet (Theatrical {Ire}). The third dam is the G3 Cherry Hinton S. runner-up Darling Flame (Capote), whose descendants include the G1 Oakleigh Plate heroine Shamal Wind (Aus) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the G2 Rockfel S. winner Al Thakhira (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), while the fourth dam is the GI Fantasy S. winner and GI Kentucky Oaks third My Darling One (Exclusive Native). Seeking Solace also has yearling and foal full-sisters to the winner.

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
JUDDMONTE MIDDLE PARK S.-G1, £275,000, Newmarket, 9-29, 2yo, c, 6fT, 1:10.04, g/f.
1–TEN SOVEREIGNS (IRE), 126, c, 2, by No Nay Never">No Nay Never
1st Dam: Seeking Solace (GB) (SP-Fr), by Exceed And Excel (Aus)
2nd Dam: Flamelet, by Theatrical (Ire)
3rd Dam: Darling Flame, by Capote
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (200,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Camas Park, Lynch Bages & Summerhill (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Donnacha O'Brien. £155,953. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ire, 3-3-0-0, $258,868. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”gordon-watson-yearlingpurchase”]2–Jash (Ire), 126, c, 2, Kodiac (GB)–Miss Azeza (GB), by Dutch Art (GB). (€88,000 Wlg '16 GOFNOV; 185,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-William Pilkington (IRE); T-Simon Crisford. £59,125.
3–Rumble Inthejungle (Ire), 126, c, 2, Bungle Inthejungle (GB)–Guana (Ire), by Dark Angel (Ire). (€52,000 RNA Wlg '16 GOFNOV; £70,000 Ylg '17 GOUKPR). O-Rebel Racing Premier & Cheveley Park Stud; B-Patrick Gleeson (IRE); T-Richard Spencer. £29,590.
Margins: HF, 3HF, HF. Odds: 0.60, 4.00, 16.00.
Also Ran: Marie's Diamond (Ire), Emaraaty Ana (GB), Legends of War, Sergei Prokofiev, Space Traveller (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.