Confirmed runners and riders for Cheveley Park and Middle Park at Newmarket

Aidan O'Brien will rely on Prix Morny winner Blackbeard and The Antarctic to further enhance his brilliant record in Saturday's Group 1 Middle Park Stakes (3.00) at Newmarket.

Blackbeard defeated his stablemate in the Group 2 Robert Papin at Chantilly in July and continued a busy campaign with a gutsy success over Persian Force in the Morny last time.

They will bid to give O'Brien a seventh win in the race, following on from recent victories by U S Navy Flag (2017) and Ten Sovereigns (2018).

Persian Force will reoppose Blackbeard and will be back in the hands of Rossa Ryan, who links up with Amo Racing after their very public split three weeks ago. Ryan also rides for Amo at Newmarket on Friday, partnering Olivia Maralda in the Rockfel Stakes.

Persian Force was no match for Little Big Bear in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh but will only need to overturn a half-a-length deficit with Blackbeard from their recent meeting.

Marshman lost his unbeaten record when second to Noble Style in the Gimcrack last month and heads the market for trainer Karl Burke, who is searching for a first Group 1 success since 2019.

Charlie Appleby and William Buick will look to continue their dominant campaign with Mischief Magic, a Group 3 winner at Kempton this month, while impressive Yarmouth novice winner Zoology is turned around quickly by James Ferguson to take his chance.

The field is completed by the Ismail Mohammed pair of Never Just A Dream and Once More For Luck.

Middle Park runners and riders

Blackbeard Ryan Moore
MarshmanClifford Lee
Mischief MagicWilliam Buick
Never Just A DreamCameron Noble
Once More For LuckBenoit de la Sayette
Persian ForceRossa Ryan
The AntarcticTom Marquand
ZoologyCieran Fallon

Middle Park Stakes (3.00 Saturday, Newmarket)

Coral: 9-4 Marshman, 11-4 Blackbeard, 3 Mischief Magic, 11-2 Persian Force, 9 The Antarctic, Zoology, 66 bar

Five of the best for O'Brien in Cheveley Park?

Four of the last six runnings of the Cheveley Park Stakes (2.25) have gone the way of O'Brien and leading 1,000 Guineas fancy Meditate will bid to give him a record fifth win in the Group 1 contest.

A general 7-1 for next year's Classic, Meditate lost her unbeaten record when beaten by the new Guineas favourite Tahiyra in the Moyglare this month.

Prior to that, she was an impressive winner at the same venue in Group 2 company and she holds a slim, but perhaps crucial, experience edge over her main market rivals.

Molecomb winner Trillium was forced to dig deep to win the Flying Childers at Doncaster this month but the form of that win, which saw her mow down The Platinum Queen, looks strong in the context of this race.

William Buick will step in to partner Lezoo, who will be without regular partner Frankie Dettori, while Lowther Stakes winner Swingalong will hope to turn the tables on her Newbury conqueror Trillium.

There was five and three-quarter lengths between them in that maiden contest but the Karl Burke-trained filly has come on leaps and bounds in two subsequent starts.

The in-form Ralph Beckett relies on narrow Group 3 winner Juliet Sierra while Mawj, a dual course-and-distance winner, bids to bounce back from a three-length defeat to Swingalong in the Lowther.

Meditate wins the Debutante StakesCredit: Patrick McCann

Cheveley Park runners and riders

Juliet Sierra RobHornby
Lezoo William Buick
MalresciaAndrea Atzeni
MawjRay Dawson
MaylandseaTom Marquand
MeditateRyan Moore
SwingalongClifford Lee
TreasureTroveBilly Lee
TrilliumPat Dobbs
Wave MachineDaniel Muscutt

Cheveley Park Stakes (2.25 Saturday, Newmarket)

Coral: 2 Trillium, 5-2 Meditate, 6 Swingalong, 13-2 Lezoo, 7 Juliet Sierra, 11 Treasure Trove, 12 Mawj, 33 bar

Haggas to the fore as 29 declared for Cambridgeshire

William Haggas will be looking for every advantage he can in his trainers' championship fight and the market suggests that he holds the aces in the Cambridgeshire (3.40), a heritage handicap which has attracted 29 runners, six short of a maximum field.

Mujtaba returned from a 124-day break with a comfortable victory at Doncaster in the first-time tongue-tie and heads the market under a potentially lenient 4lb penalty.

Haggas also has the second-favourite, Protagonist, who has racked up recent wins at Doncaster and Sandown, formerly over the reopposing Savvy Victory, who subsequently scored at Goodwood.

That rival gains the services of Ryan Moore and is 2lb well-in under his penalty alongside the Saeed bin Suroor-trained First View, a winner at Kempton in the first-time cheekpieces.

John Gosden has won this race a record five times and he will be hoping to add his son Thady to the roll of honour with Magical Morning, who drops in grade after a heavy defeat in Listed company.

bet365 Cambridgeshire Handicap (3.40 Newmarket, Saturday)

bet365: 9-2 Mujtaba, 7 Protagonist, 9 Savvy Victory, 12 Totally Charming, Dual Identity, 14 Jimi Hendrix, Kitsune Power, First View, 16 Electrical Storm, Injazati, Bell Rock, 20 bar

Read this next . . .

Trainer says 'we're going for it' and backs Savvy Victory for Cambridgeshire

The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday. Not a Members' Club Ultimate subscriber? Click here to join today and also receive our Ultimate Daily emails plus our full range of fantastic website and newspaper content