Take Orthodox approach in wide-open Middle Park
PUNTERS can put a line through ORTHODOX’S disappointing effort in France and should back him to return to winning ways in Saturday’s Group One Middle Park Stakes (3.00pm) at Newmarket.
Clive Cox’s son of Havana Grey was beaten in the Prix Morny at Deauville last time, but there were excuses for that effort, with the testing ground appearing to blunt his speed. He is entitled to be a different proposition back on fast ground and I am happy to forgive that run.
He looked a seriously exciting two-year-old prior to Deauville when landing the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, travelling strongly before showing an impressive turn of foot to tear the field apart.
That performance marked him down as a colt with top-level ability and, in more favourable conditions, he can reproduce that effort.
There are other talented juveniles in the field too, notably Folsom Blues, who routed the field in the Group One National Stakes at the Curragh two weeks ago.
However, it will be some task for him to back up that massive effort after what will be a short turnaround, and I’m also not taken by the current favourite, Great Barrier Reef, who flopped at odds-on when last seen a month ago.
Orthodox will have the opportunity to put himself back on the map here and I think the door is open for a marquee performance.
It’s also encouraging to see the Cox stable in such good form. The Lambourn-based handler has been firing in plenty of winners of late and that’s exactly what you’d want to see if, like me, you fancy Orthodox.
Cox’s star juvenile is available at around 5/1 and that looks worth taking.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Orthodox Newmarket, 3.00pm