Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes
Group 1, Newmarket 14:58
£275,000 guaranteed,
2yo only,
6f, Class 1  
Saturday 27th September 2025

1 Wise Approach 11/8F
2 Brussels 9/1
3 Coppull 7/1
9 ran Distances: ¾l, shd, 2l
Time: 1m 11.56s (slow by 1.16s)

Wise Approach produced something quite extraordinary to land the win, turning calamity into triumph for Charlie Appleby and William Buick.

The 11-8 favourite was almost out of the race before it began, stumbling badly as the gates opened and lurching to the rear. Buick somehow kept the partnership intact but was left with no option other than to bide his time and swing widest of all for a challenge.

Up front it looked Aidan O’Brien’s Brussels had sealed the deal, striding clear inside the final furlong, only for Wise Approach to materialise from the clouds on the stands side, Coppull surging with him. Despite drifting left under pressure, the Godolphin colt’s turn of foot was irresistible, sweeping past Brussels to win by three-quarters of a length, with Coppull just a short head further back.

Brussels and Coppull came close together in the dying strides, sparking a stewards’ inquiry, but the placings remained untouched.

Appleby could scarcely hide his admiration for his colt:

“It is some performance to be fair to the horse. All joking apart, of course we never expected to stumble coming out of the stalls, but the plan was to drop in.

“I felt in the Prix Morny (finished third), William gave him a great ride, but when he gave him a kick he was electric that day and then I felt the horse just pulled up in front, so I did say to William ‘put him there on the line today’. He did that, but it’s never easy to watch!

“Full credit to William and full credit to the horse – he’s got an engine. I think he’s given us glimpses of it, to be fair. He won his maiden, me and York just don’t go hand in hand and then he ran well at Ascot behind Gstaad when we were on the other side of the track.

“He’s battle-hardened horse by Mehmas and a half-brother to a good sprinter (Perfect Power).

“I’d say we’ll put him away for this year and aim at the Commonwealth Cup next year.”

Runner-up Brussels lost little in defeat, O’Brien taking plenty from the performance.

“He’s a big, strong, fast horse and we were delighted with that run really.

“He looked good first time out, but he’s been a bit babyish and he was babyish again today. I think it’ll come, but he’s very big and I’d say all the experience he’s getting this year will stand him in good stead for next year.

“He’s not short of speed. I’d imagine we’ll leave him alone until next year now.

“We might try seven furlongs next year, but he’s probably not slow looking at him today. We’ll probably have a look at a Classic with him and see how it goes.”

And Clive Cox had nothing but positives for Coppull, whose late rattle very nearly made it a different story.

“He’s run a wonderful race and backed up the display that he put up in the Richmond. I’m very proud of him and I think we can all look forward to next year with a lot of hope and confidence that he’s going to maintain that Group One effort.

“I thought for a moment he got a bit disorganised in the dip, but he fairly rattled home.

“I think with a winter’s normal progress we’ll see him in the highest league next year, with the Commonwealth Cup being an obvious target.

“He’s a joy to train and hopefully we can build on the promise he’s shown this year.”

So, a Middle Park that seemed lost at the start was snatched at the finish, Wise Approach turning near disaster into the definitive sign of a top-class colt in the making.

BoyleSports

Middle Park Stakes (Group 1)
£275,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 6f, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Good to Firm

POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (8)    Wise Approach 2 9-2 Charlie Appleby William Buick 11/8F
2 (6) ¾ Brussels 2 9-2 A P O'Brien Wayne Lordan 9/1
3 (5) shd Coppull 2 9-2 Clive Cox Rossa Ryan 7/1
4 (2) 2 Five Ways 2 9-2 Andrew Balding Jason Watson 22/1
5 (3) ¾ Kansas 2 9-2 A P O'Brien Tom Marquand 8/1
6 (4) ½ Havana Hurricane 2 9-2 Eve Johnson Houghton Charles Bishop 7/1
7 (1) ½ Hilitany 2 9-2 George Boughey Billy Loughnane 25/1
8 (7) ½ The Publican's Son 2 9-2 Joseph O'Brien Oisin Murphy 9/2
9 (9) nk First Approach 2 9-2 A P O'Brien Gavin Ryan 80/1