Jockey Ryan Moore robbed his first Juddmonte Middle Park (G1) Stocks on September 24 at Newmarket on a horse named after a pirate in Black beard who gave the sword several familiar names to help Aidan O’Brien get a record seventh victory in the race.
The highly rated runner added two group wins in France while taking the stable position South Pole and Persian Forces the two also filled in behind him in the last Darley Prix Morny – Finale des Darley Series (G1) in Deauville.
BLACKBEARD attacked G1 Middle Park, leading 1-2 @Ballydoyle ends, as Battaash’s full brother THE ANTARCTIC takes home a nice runner-up effort. Wouldn’t be shocked if the second one was going in the opposite direction toward the state and going mile in @BreedersCup JT. iTV pic.twitter.com/SwlC6ZVCax
– Michael Adolphson (@AdolphsonRacing) September 24, 2022
The son of No, never is the fourth horse in the past eight years to complete the Morny-Middle Park double after Shalaa, Earthlight and Perfect power.
Blackbeard often plays explosively from the start, and this was no exception as Moore had to move behind the stalls at least once, but all was well in the end.
A dizzying speed set by bystanders Never Just a dream Unique race setup for the winner, who has had to do his own trick work in the past. Fast speed also leads the market Marshman got in trouble halfway and Blackbeard could be called a winner in a way.
Last year’s winner Perfect Power goes on to land the Commonwealth Cup G1) at Royal Ascot in June, and Blackbeard could be on the same path with Paddy Power making him a 5-1 favorite in the 3-year-old sprint. in 2023.
O’Brien added Blackbeard to his previous honors list at Middle Park, starting with Minardi in 2000, then Johannesburg (2001), Ad Valorem (2004), Crusade (2011), United States Navy Flag (2017) and Ten Sovereigns (2018).
Coach Ballydoyle said of the winner’s antics: “He’s tough, he’s not a soft guy and he only starts stomping if you start asking to stand in one spot for too long. He’s very honest and that’s his way of saying he’s ready, and we don’t agree with him.
🗣️ “Speed is his thing.”
Blackbeard ☠️ is a perfect character, but he is currently a Group 1 winner and can be set sail for @BreedersCup @keeneland after his heroes in @JuddmonteFarms Middle Park @NewmarketRace @coolmorestud | @Ballydoyle pic.twitter.com/6tvf4jSvsy
– Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 24, 2022
“He’s improving with every run and his form is still there with Force Persia.”
O’Brien had been hoping for a decent performance from Blackbeard before and added: “We felt if he ran like he did in France last time that we would be fine today. He went on with what he did that day, and I’m happy to see him in the lead and I know Ryan is too.
“Usually they don’t go fast enough to get ahead of him, and he has to run on his own, but it’s always better to lead, especially in big races like this. It’s tough when they’re there to be beaten. shoot.”
As for the winner’s future, he added: “He can do anything after this, but to be fair, he’s been at it for a long time as it’s his 8th in a row. five. I’m not sure about next year, but he’s nimble and looks like a five or six-hair horse.”
Of The Antarctic runner-up, O’Brien said: “He’s making progress, but not slow at all and Tom (Marquand) said he was a little slow at the start, which he did, and then that did its best at the end..”
Richard Hannon, coach of the Persian Forces, said: “He’s running a super race. We were trying to win and that might cost us second, but we’re not. I was beaten by a better horse that day. We have no excuses and will seriously look at Breeders’ Cup for him now.”
The Persians can play at either the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fields ‘Cup’ (G1T) or the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fields (G2T), both on November 4 at Keeneland.
