'We don't disagree with him' - quirky Blackbeard does it his way in Middle Park

Saturday: Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes

Ryan Moore plundered his first Middle Park Stakes on Blackbeard, a horse named after a pirate, who put some familiar names to the sword to give Aidan O'Brien a record seventh triumph in the race.

The 100-30 chance was supplementing two Group wins in France when accounting for stablemate The Antarctic and Persian Force, both of whom had also filled the places behind him in the Prix Morny at Deauville last time.

The son of No Nay Never is the fourth horse in the last eight years to complete the Morny-Middle Park double following on from Shalaa, Earthlight and Perfect Power.

Blackbeard often plays up at the start and this was no exception with Moore displaced behind the stalls at least once, but all was well in the end.

A breakneck pace set by outsider Never Just A Dream set the race up nicely for the winner, who has had to do his own donkeywork in the past. The fast pace also had market leader Marshman in trouble at halfway and Blackbeard could be called the winner some way out.

Last year's winner Perfect Power went on to land the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot in June, and Blackbeard could be on a similar path with William Hill making him 8-1 for the three-year-old sprint in 2023.

O'Brien was adding Blackbeard to his previous roll of honour in the Middle Park, which kicked off with Minardi in 2000 followed by Johannesburg (2001), Ad Valorem (2004), Crusade (2011), US Navy Flag (2017) and Ten Sovereigns (2018).

The Ballydoyle trainer said of his winner's antics: "He's hardy, he's not a wimp and he just starts stamping his feet if you start asking to stand in the same place too long. He's very genuine and it's his way of saying he's ready, and we don't disagree with him.

"He's been improving with every run and his form was there with Persian Force."

O'Brien had been hopeful of a decent show from Blackbeard beforehand, and added: "We felt if he ran like he did in France last time that we were going to be okay today. He's stepped up again on what he did that day and I was very happy to see he was getting a lead, and I know Ryan was as well.

"Usually they don't go fast enough to lead him and he has to make his own running, but it's always better to get a lead, especially in these big races. It's tough when they are there to be shot at."

Blackbeard and Ryan Moore in the winner's enclosure: the colt tested his jockey's skills again, but was electric in the race to give Moore a first win in the Middle ParkCredit: Mark Cranham

On the winner's future, he added: "He could do anything after this, but in all fairness to him he's been at it a long time as this was his eighth run of the year. I'm not sure about next year, but he's fast and looks to be a five- or six-furlong horse."

On runner-up The Antarctic, O'Brien said: "He's progressing, but is not slow and Tom [Marquand] said he stepped a bit slow at the start, which he has been doing, and then did his best work at the end."

Richard Hannon, trainer of Persian Force, said: "He's run a super race. We tried to win it and that's probably cost us second, but we've been beaten by a better horse on the day. We've got no excuses and will seriously look at the Breeders' Cup for him now."

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