Godolphin launches a four-strong assault in the Group One Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket, UK, on Saturday, September 26, with two-year-old colts Buratino, Steady Pace, Rouleau and Venturous lining up in the six-furlong contest.
Time/Date - 15.10hrs local time/Saturday, September 26, 2015 Racecourse/Country - Newmarket/UK
Surface/Distance - Turf/6f
Godolphin launches a four-strong assault in the Group One Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket, UK, on Saturday, September 26, with two-year-old colts Buratino, Steady Pace, Rouleau and Venturous lining up in the six-furlong contest.
Buratino (Mark Johnston/William Buick) was third to Air Force Blue in the Group One Keeneland Phoenix Stakes over six furlongs at the Curragh, Ireland, on August 9. The son of Exceed And Excel had beaten Air Force Blue when powering to an impressive two-length victory over the same distance in the Group Two Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 16 and was a decisive winner of an Epsom Downs Listed race, also over six furlongs, on June 6, both on fast ground.
Steady Pace (Saeed bin Suroor/Harry Bentley), successful over five furlongs on his debut at Ascot in May, faded to fifth on his latest start in the six-furlong Group Two Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes at York on August 22. He ran two excellent races at Group Two level over the same trip in July, taking third in the Qatar Richmond Stakes at Goodwood and going down by a length to subsequent Group One winner Shalaa when second in the Arqana July Stakes at Newmarket.
Rouleau (Charlie Appleby/Ryan Moore) is a three-time winner over six furlongs, most recently when gaining a gutsy half-length success on Polytrack in the Group Three Toteexacta Sirenia Stakes at Kempton Park on September 5. The Exceed And Excel colt also ran well in two five-furlong races, including when a good third in the Group Three Fairmont Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood on July 29.
Venturous (Charlie Appleby/James Doyle) aims for a third straight win over six furlongs after gamely taking a Doncaster conditions race on September 9 and readily scoring in a maiden on Newmarket's July Course on August 29. He was fifth behind stable companion Emotionless in another maiden on Newmarket's July Course, this time over seven furlongs, on his August 7 debut.
Mark Johnston commented: "Buratino is in sparkling form and I am delighted with him. We have obviously been waiting for fast ground and we are hoping for dry, sunny conditions ahead of Saturday.
"There's no track in the world that dries like Newmarket, so we are hoping that the ground might be on the fast side. I am confident that, if we have our ground, we will get a big run from him."
Saeed bin Suroor remarked: "Steady Pace was a non-runner in the Somerville Tattersalls Stakes (on Thursday) because the ground was too soft and we hope that it will be better for him on Saturday.
"He was a little disappointing at York but he is good form and I am hoping for a better performance this time."
Charlie Appleby said: "Venturous has progressed with each run and we felt that he learned a lot at Doncaster because it was the first time that he has been really asked to race.
"He has come out of that well and we are hopeful that he can be competitive. The trip and ground should suit.
"We pulled Rouleau out of the Somerville Tattersalls Stakes on Thursday because there was overnight rain beforehand. There is a drying forecast and he should hopefully get better ground.
"He has been ultra-consistent and we thought that we would roll the dice in the Middle Park Stakes."
A field of seven for the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes also features Group One Darley Prix Morny victor Shalaa, Group Two Gimcrack Stakes scorer Ajaya and Madrinho, who was second to Venturous at Doncaster.
Charming Thought won the 2014 renewal of the Middle Park Stakes for Godolphin.
