Moore feels Whistlejacket fits the bill in Middle Park

Ryan Moore considers Whistlejacket “the one they all have to beat” in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

The No Nay Never colt lines up on the Rowley Mile bidding for back-to-back Group One victories following last month’s success in the Prix Morny at Deauville.

Aidan O’Brien’s youngster is also a previous winner at Newmarket, albeit on the July Course in the Group Two July Stakes, with a runner-up finish behind Cheveley Park Stakes favourite Babouche in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh providing more evidence of his top-level capabilities.

“Whistlejacket is my ride and he is the one to beat in the field,” Moore told Betfair.

“He has been very active this season, but he has taken his form to a new level on his last three runs.

“After winning over six furlongs in the July Stakes in good style, he then finished a good second to Babouche who we take on (with Lake Victoria) in the Cheveley Park earlier on in the day. That is good form.

“He managed to land his first Group One at Deauville when last seen in the Prix Morny, seeing off Coventry Stakes winner Rashabar.

“Whistlejacket is the one they all have to beat on form, having already won in slow conditions.”

O’Brien has a second string to his bow in the form of dual winner Ides Of March, who Moore believes is also capable of making his presence felt.

He added: “I have ridden him on his last three starts. He is an improving horse who has some good form behind The Lion In Winter when a good third in a maiden over seven furlongs.

“Dropped to six furlongs at the same track, he got off the mark in good style and improved again next time out to land a nice Group Three in taking fashion.

“He holds good claims as well and this looks another good race.”

Charlie Appleby is represented by the promising Shadow Of Light, who impressed in winning his first two starts at Yarmouth and Newmarket before pushing Cool Hoof Luke all the way in the Gimcrack at York.

Having sidestepped last weekend’s Mill Reef at Newbury, the son of Lope De Vega instead tests his powers at Group One level and Appleby’s assistant, Alex Merriam, is optimistic about his chances.

He said: “Shadow Of Light seems in good order and has run some nice races this year.

“It got very heavy at Newbury last weekend and he was obviously entered here, so Charlie thought we would wait and see what the ground does. I think he will cope with it softish, but we’ll just have to see what the weather does.

“In hindsight, he probably was on the wrong side at York to be fair, but ran a solid race with some good horses behind him and hopefully he will improve again.

“That was his first run in Group company and hopefully he will come forward again – and I don’t think he will be too far away.”

Defence Minister has cost owners Wathnan Racing a pretty penny in the last couple of weeks without yet running, missing the Mill Reef after being supplemented on account of the testing conditions and then being added to the Middle Park field earlier this week at a cost of £20,000.

Trainer Hamad Al Jehani is keeping his fingers crossed the ground at Newmarket does not deteriorate further for his July Course and Haydock winner.

“Defence Minister is one of the nicest horses I have and deserves to be in a stakes race,” said the Newmarket-based trainer.

“I think it will be very hard for all the horses in this race, to be honest (with the ground). He is in good shape and ready to run in this race, but a lot will depend on how the ground will be.”

Other contenders include Michael O’Callaghan’s Richmond Stakes winner Black Forza, who was last seen finishing fourth in America, and Andrew Balding’s Sirenia Stakes runner-up Jouncy.

Barry Mahon, racing manager for Jouncy’s owners Juddmonte, said: “He’s in great form, he’s a very lazy, sleepy horse and it has taken us a couple of goes to get him to learn what it is all about.

“But I think his last two starts have kind of shown that the penny has dropped, and Andrew is very happy with his work.

“He’s obviously a big outsider but with what was left for him this year, we just felt that we’d roll the dice. If the penny drops, there’s no doubt he has the ability, it’s just a case of getting him to put his mind towards it.

“I don’t think it (soft ground) would inconvenience him, to be honest. Ground-wise, he is pretty straightforward.”