Middle Park form looks sound with Blackbeard third in juvenile colt standings

Blackbeard maintained his progress with another improved effort to land the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes, the now dual Group 1 winner confirming the Prix Morny form with The Antarctic and Persian Force to record a new Racing Post Rating of 116.

Barring his fourth in the Coventry Stakes, Blackbeard's figures have been heading in the right direction all year and he now sits third in the two-year-old colt standings behind stablemate Little Big Bear (122) and Gimcrack winner Noble Style (117).

Rating just below par for the race, the Middle Park form nonetheless looks sound with Blackbeard giving The Antarctic a similar beating to the Morny and Persian Force rating a little below the Deauville form in dropping back to third.