Middle Park Stakes
The Middle Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.
| Group 1 race | |
| Location | Rowley Mile Newmarket, England |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1866 |
| Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
| Sponsor | Juddmonte |
| Website | Newmarket |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 6f (1,207 metres) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Straight |
| Qualification | Two-year-old colts |
| Weight | 9 st 2 lb |
| Purse | £275,000 (2022) 1st: £155,953 |
| 2023 | ||
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| Vandeek | Task Force | River Tiber |
| Previous years | ||
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| 2022 | ||
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| Blackbeard | The Antarctic | Persian Force |
| 2021 | ||
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| Perfect Power | Castle Star | Armor |
| 2020-2011 | ||
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| 2020 | ||
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| Supremacy | Lucky Vega | Minzaal |
| 2019 | ||
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| Earthlight | Golden Horde | Summer Sands |
| 2018 | ||
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| Ten Sovereigns | Jash | Rumble Inthejungle |
| 2017 | ||
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| U S Navy Flag | Fleet Review | Cardsharp |
| 2016 | ||
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| The Last Lion | Blue Point | Mehmas |
| 2015 | ||
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| Shalaa | Buratino | Steady Pace |
| 2014 | ||
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| Charming Thought | Ivawood | Muhaarar |
| 2013 | ||
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| Astaire | Hot Streak | Justice Day |
| 2012 | ||
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| Reckless Abandon | Moohaajim | Gale Force Ten |
| 2011 | ||
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| Crusade | Lilbourne Lad | Reply |
| 2010-2001 | ||
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| 2010 | ||
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| Dream Ahead | Strong Suit | Approve |
| 2009 | ||
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| Awzaan | Radiohead | Showcasing |
| 2008 | ||
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| Bushranger | Sayif | Huntdown |
| 2007 | ||
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| Dark Angel | Strike The Deal | Tajdeef |
| 2006 | ||
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| Dutch Art | Wi Dud | Captain Marvelous |
| 2005 | ||
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| Amadeus Wolf | Red Clubs | Always Hopeful |
| 2004 | ||
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| Ad Valorem | Rebuttal | Iceman |
| 2003 | ||
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| Balmont | Holborn | Auditorium |
| 2002 | ||
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| Oasis Dream | Tomahawk | Elusive City |
| 2001 | ||
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| Johannesburg | Zipping | Doc Holiday |
| 2000-1991 | ||
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| 2000 | ||
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| Minardi | Endless Summer | Red Carpet |
| 1999 | ||
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| Primo Valentino | Fath | Brahms |
| 1998 | ||
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| Lujain | Bertolini | Vision Of Night |
| 1997 | ||
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| Hayil | Carrowkeel | Designer |
| 1996 | ||
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| Bahamian Bounty | Muchea | In Command |
| 1995 | ||
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| Royal Applause | Woodborough | Kahir Almaydan |
| 1994 | ||
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| Fard | Green Perfume | Fallow |
| 1993 | ||
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| First Trump | Owington | Redoubtable |
| 1992 | ||
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| Zieten | Pips Pride | Factual |
| 1991 | ||
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| Rodrigo De Triano | Lion Cavern | River Falls |
| 1990-1988 | ||
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| 1990 | ||
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| Lycius | Distinctly North | Majlood |
| 1989 | ||
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| Balla Cove | Rock City | Cordoba |
| 1988 | ||
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| Mon Tresor | Pure Genius | Northern Tryst |
History
The event was founded by William Blenkiron, and it is named after his stud at Eltham. It was established in 1866, and was initially titled the Middle Park Plate. It was originally open to horses of either gender.
The race was formerly staged during Newmarket's Cambridgeshire Meeting in late September or early October. It was restricted to colts in 1987. It became part of a new fixture called Future Champions Day in 2011.
From 2015, the Middle Park Stakes was moved from Future Champions Day and brought forward two weeks, returning to the Cambridgeshire meeting, to avoid a clash with the similar Dewhurst Stakes.
The Middle Park Stakes was added to the Breeders' Cup Challenge series in 2012. The winner earned an automatic invitation to compete in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint.[1] The Middle Park Stakes was dropped from the Challenge series when the Juvenile Sprint Stakes was discontinued after the 2012 running.
The leading horses from the Middle Park Stakes sometimes go on to compete in the following season's 2000 Guineas. The first to win both was Prince Charlie (1871–72), and the most recent was Rodrigo de Triano (1991–92).
Records
Leading jockey (6 wins):
- Danny Maher – Minstead (1901), Flotsam (1902), Lesbia (1907), Bayardo (1908), Lemberg (1909), Corcyra (1913)
- Sir Gordon Richards – Medieval Knight (1933), Scottish Union (1937), Khaled (1945), The Cobbler (1947), Abernant (1948), Royal Challenger (1953)
- Lester Piggott – Petingo (1967), Steel Heart (1974), Junius (1978), Mattaboy (1980), Cajun (1981), Diesis (1982)
Leading trainer (7 wins):
- Aidan O'Brien – Minardi (2000), Johannesburg (2001), Ad Valorem (2004), Crusade (2011), US Navy Flag (2017), Ten Sovereigns (2018), Blackbeard (2022)
Leading owner (7 wins) (includes part ownership):
- Susan Magnier - Minardi (2000), Johannesburg (2001), Ad Valorem (2004), Crusade (2011), US Navy Flag (2017), Ten Sovereigns (2018), Blackbeard (2022)
Winners
- The 1940 running took place at Nottingham
- The 1999 race was run on the July Course at Newmarket
- Three Valleys finished first in 2003, but he was subsequently disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance
See also
- Horse racing in Great Britain
- List of British flat horse races
- Recurring sporting events established in 1866 – this race is included under its original title, Middle Park Plate.
References
- "2012 Breeders' Cup Challenge Schedule" (PDF). breederscup.com. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
- Paris-Turf:
- Racing Post:
- galopp-sieger.de – Middle Park Stakes (ex Middle Park Plate).
- ifhaonline.org – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Middle Park Stakes (2019).
- pedigreequery.com – Middle Park Stakes – Newmarket.
- Abelson, Edward; Tyrrel, John (1993). The Breedon Book of Horse Racing Records. Breedon Books. pp. 197–200. ISBN 1-873626-15-0.