Twilight could Jet into Middle Park picture

Ashley Iveson
September 17, 2021 9:30 am

Connections considering Newmarket supplementary entry.

Michael O’Callaghan will consider supplementing Twilight Jet for next week’s Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket.

The promising juvenile has kept smart company since opening his account at Tipperary in early June, performing well on his last couple of starts to finish third in both the Gimcrack Stakes at York and Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.

Having decided against running in this weekend’s Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury, the Twilight Son colt now looks set to be return to Group One level on the Rowley Mile on Saturday week.

“Twilight Jet might be supplemented for the Middle Park,” said O’Callaghan.

“He ran a good race at Doncaster, stepping up to seven furlongs. That run proved to us that six is possibly his best trip – he has a lot of tactical speed and a lot of speed.

“We put a line through his run in the Phoenix Stakes as he was proper sick afterwards and he went to the Gimcrack then at probably only 90 per cent and ran a big race.

“He ran an even bigger race the other day and in a competitive race like the Middle Park, I think he’ll run a big race again.”

Another juvenile O’Callaghan is looking forward to stepping up in grade between now and the end of the season is King X J.

The Cotai Glory colt was only seventh on his racecourse debut at the Curragh, but justified strong market support when landing a valuable sales race at the home of Irish Flat racing on Sunday.

O’Callaghan added: “He’s a fine, big horse who probably wants seven furlongs or a mile already, but we just thought he had enough class to drop back to a stiff six at the Curragh when there was such a big prize on offer. Thankfully the plan paid off.

“He might go for a Listed race in Dundalk, or he might even go for the Killavullan Stakes in Leopardstown.”