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Earthlight, Mums Tipple and Siskin in field of nine
Earthlight, Mums Tipple and Siskin will all put their unbeaten records on the line in a mouthwatering renewal of the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket.
The Andre Fabre-trained Earthlight has won each of his four starts to date – most recently striking at Group One level in the Prix Morny.
Mums Tipple is two from two for Richard Hannon, having followed up a debut victory in an Ascot maiden – which has worked out tremendously well – with an 11-length demolition job in a sales race at York last month.
Hannon has a second string to his bow on Saturday in the Gimcrack and Champagne Stakes winner Threat.
Siskin provided his trainer Ger Lyons with a first Group One success in Ireland when claiming his fourth straight victory in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh last month.
Connections subsequently considered letting him take on Pinatubo in the National Stakes, but decided to keep their powder dry for a race owner Khalid Abdullah sponsors on the Rowley Mile.
Abdullah's racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe said: "I think this is the best two-year-old race of the season so far in terms of strength in depth. It's very solid and you could make a good case for nearly every horse in the field – it will take a lot of winning.
"Siskin is in good form and has been straightforward – Ger is very pleased with him. We decided not to run him in the National Stakes as we were worried the ground might go too soft and we also felt sticking to six furlongs was the right call at this stage.
"I think Siskin would prefer good, fast ground to be seen at his best. There hasn't been much rain in Newmarket so far, so I don't think we'll be using that as an excuse."
Aidan O'Brien secured a record sixth victory in the Middle Park 12 months ago with Ten Sovereigns and this year fires a three-pronged assault, with Monarch Of Egypt – runner-up to Siskin on his last two starts – joined by Lope Y Fernandez and King Neptune.
Clive Cox's Richmond Stakes hero Golden Horde – third to Earthlight in France on his latest appearance – and Richard Fahey's outsider Summer Sands complete the nine-strong field.