3 minute read
Shadow Of Light left his rivals toiling when quickening up smartly to land the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.
Many would have expected Aidan O'Brien's Whistlejacket, who was sent off the 8/11 market leader, to make it back-to-back Group 1 successes following his Prix Morny triumph, but the warning signs were there as Ryan Moore began to exercise his arms with two and a half furlongs to travel, William Buick and Shadow Of Light emerged on the scene seemingly full of running.
Having been held up in the early stages of the six-furlong Group 1 prize, Shadow Of Light eased to the front approaching the rising ground before lengthening away for a scintillating four-length victory at odds of 11/4.
Shadow Of Light was cut to 10/1 from 33/1 with Paddy Power for the 2000 Guineas but could head down the Commonwealth Cup route, for which he is the 6/1 favourite with Coral.
It was a return to winning ways for the son of Lope De Vega, who stayed on strongly when making his challenge away from the winner Cool Hoof Luke in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York last month.
"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," said the Moulton Paddocks handler.
"As a physical, he has maintained it, but mentally he jumped forward so much from that run, and we came here quietly confident today.
"You could say 'why did you have him in the Mill Reef last week and pull him out', well we pulled him out because of the heavy ground and at the time I just thought we'd be confident coming here today with the favourite to beat, but last week we'd have been an absolute certainty on sensible ground.
"When the ground started drying out, we felt it suited us more than the favourite to be honest."
Charlie Appleby added: "Aidan (O'Brien) has dominated this year, but they've got strength in depth, as you would expect for an operation like that, but we've punched our weight.
"People might say we've been abroad a lot but that is only because I felt that is where I felt those horses would be competitive. I'll go where I think I can win; I don't want to go anywhere just to make up the numbers and please everyone else.
"I read the focus might be coming off the UK but of course it's not, if I've got the horses to win here, I'd rather win here.
Of Whistlejacket's performance, O'Brien commented: "He's a very fast horse and Ryan (Moore) just felt that he could have done with going a bit faster in the first half of the race, that's what he felt. He's very consistent and we might look to take him to America now."