"Some performance" - Mehmas colt Wise Approach overcomes a difficult start to win the Middle Park

A stumble at the start failed to prevent Wise Approach from justifying favouritism in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday, with the Tally-Ho-bred colt turning in a brilliant performance for Godolphin to become the latest Group 1 winner for Mehmas.

Not only is he the second Middle Park winner for his sire after Supremacy but he also emulates his half-brother Perfect Power, winner of the race in 2021.

Wise Approach is also the second Tally-Ho bred 2yo Group 1 winner of the year alongside the Prix Morny heroine Venetian Sun; both Wise Approach and Venetian Sun were sold by us at Book 1 of last year's Tattersalls October Sale.

The first ever Mehmas bought by Godolphin, Wise Approach won on his debut back in May at Ascot for Charlie Appleby. He subsequently ran second in the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot before landing the Listed Rose Bowl Stakes at Newbury. He arrived at the Middle Park Stakes having run an excellent third to Venetian Sun in the Group 1 Prix Morny.

It wasn't all plain sailing in the Middle Park. Wise Approach took the worst of some scrimmaging at the start, falling to his nose under William Buick. Allowed to find his feet, he travelled into the race well, however, and having been produced coming out of the dip, quickened past his rivals for a cosy score.

"It is some performance to be fair to the horse," Charlie Appleby told the press. "The plan was to drop in and Wise Approach did! All joking apart, we never expected to stumble but the plan was to drop in. I felt in the Morny that William [Buick] gave him a great ride, but I did feel that when he kicked on, he was electrifying and then just pulled up in front. So, I said to William to put him there on the line today.

"Full credit to William and the horse. He has got an engine and given us glimpses before. He won his maiden impressively. he horse has got stronger and here we are today. We are delighted. He is battle-hardened and by Mehmas. He is a half-brother to a good sprinter [Group One winner Perfect Power]. The Commonwealth Cup will be the plan next season."

Explaining the start, William Buick said: "The horses on either side of us came across him and he caught a heel, so he stumbled and we were where we were. But the plan was to ride him cool. Charlie [Appleby, trainer] gave me the confidence to ride him cool and get there late, and we did that. It's not an easy track to do that because momentum is key. I went where I did and you saw what a decent horse he is. Luckily he got comfortable quite quickly and I had to make decisions as I went along."

Wise Approach was bred by us out of Sagely, a daughter of Frozen Power who now boasts the remarkable feat of breeding two Middle Park Stakes winners. She is also dam of the Group 2-placed Golden Mind from as many runners.

We are delighted to offer a Mehmas full-sister to Wise Approach as Lot 393 at next week's Tattersalls October Sale. Our draft also includes a Kodiac half-sister to Venetian Sun (Lot 203).