‘Champion’ Vandeek was an easy winner of the G1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday, completing the Group 1 double following his victory in the Prix Morny.
A 625,000 guinea breeze-up purchase, the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained colt has gone from strength to strength this season, from winning a six-furlong Nottingham maiden back in July to an impressive victory in the Group 1 Prix Morny.
Vandeek was slowly away from the stalls and jockey James Doyle used the opportunity to bring the colt over to the near side, tracking River Tiber as the group hit the half-way point. It appeared the favourite may struggle to find a clear passage through, but a gap appeared at the two furlong marker and Vandeek shot through, kicking clear to confirm the Prix Morny form with River Tiber, who lost second place to the fast-finishing Task Force.
In a post-race interview with jockey James Doyle, "It was super. He's showing all the qualities you need in a potential champion. He's showing he can do it on soft ground, fast ground and a variety of tracks.
"It didn't go entirely to plan, we didn't jump all that well, so I just used that early to whip across and try and use Ryan [Moore, on River Tiber] as a target. I just thought the ones drawn around us, I wasn't convinced they were the ones to be tracking so it actually panned out okay.
"He's quick, he's very fast."
Co-trainer Simon Crisford said "He's beautiful with a beautiful temperament and all of the talent to match it as well. He's very fast and very good.
"Obviously that race took a lot of winning today, the Prix Morny was an exceptional race. When he hits the front, he tends to idle a bit but I couldn't see anything running him down so I was pretty hopeful in the last 100 yards.
"Well I don't know if we need to try to [stretch out to a mile]. He's a champion over this distance, obviously I think we'll let the horse tell us as much as we can and we'll take it from there. He could easily go further.
"The person that will tell us whether he comes back for the Dewhurst is the horse himself. If he tells us he wants to come here, maybe we will."
Paddy Power shortened Vandeek from 16/1 to 10/1 for next year's 2000 Guineas and added the colt to the Dewhurst Stakes market at 6/1.
