Blackbeard plunders Middle Park prize and leads home one-two for O’Brien

Aidan O’Brien may not have had as memorable a season by his normal high standards but the Ballydoyle stable’s two-year-old colts delivered him a one-two in the Group One Middle Park Stakes on Saturday at Newmarket with Blackbeard sprinting clear from The Antarctic.

It was only the Coolmore empire’s trainer’s third UK winner of the year and there was a major worry before the race as the eventual winner did his normal trick of getting thoroughly worked up in the preliminaries and consequently drifted out to 100-30 in the betting.

O’Brien, who was recording his seventh victory in the contest, said: “He’s a character [at home]. There’s no badness in him but he doesn’t have a lot of patience. Some people don’t mind waiting, others like to get going and he does too.

“He can do whatever he wants – he’s a very important horse for us. He’s very fast and always very professional. He started off very early [in the season] and has held his form very strong. I think he’s all about speed rather than a Guineas horse.”

When questioned about whether Blackbeard would now head to the Breeders’ Cup meeting next month in the United States, O’Brien said it was a “definite possibility” but that his horse had been busy this season and he would have to see how he took this race.

O’Brien was asked afterwards about the sidelined Little Big Bear, who beat the third-placed Persian Force in much more devastating fashion when last seen in August, and said: “He’s a horse to look forward to and there’s plenty of stamina on the dam’s side – he’s the one we are thinking about for the Guineas next year.”

Given the winner’s speedy disposition it’s unlikely he will be among the stable’s Classic race candidates next year and Betfair introduced Blackbeard at