Perfect Power, a son of leading European first-season sire Ardad, landed his second Group 1 victory on Saturday in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes a month after winning the Darley Prix Morny in Deauville.
Understandably, he is fast becoming the apple of Richard Fahey’s eye and the the trainer was full of praise for Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum’s colt, as well as jockey Christophe Soumillon.
“It took a special ride and special horse to win today and he quickened up very well,” said Fahey at Newmarket. “He is a ball of a horse and has had a busy enough time. Going to Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood, then Deauville then here it is tough on them but he spends most of his time laid down asleep. He just pans out when he is not exercising and saves it for these days.”
Perfect Power, bred and breezed by Tally-Ho Stud and bought by Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock, as was Ardad himself, won for the first time on his second start at Hamilton on 9 June. Just eight days later he became his sire’s first Group winner when winning the G2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot in his now-customary style of pouncing late in a super-fast finish.
Fahey added: “We knew we were struggling from the draw as we knew everyone would come stands’ side, which put us furthest away from where we wanted to be. From where he came from I probably would rate that better than his win in France. We have had to give them a head start. I’m a big believer that you can give them weight but not a head start.
“Christophe said he would drop him right out today and I said you ‘do what you want’. With two to run I thought we were in a bit of trouble but he pulled him out to come across and get a run. For a two-year-old he is very special as he goes fast very easily and has a super mind on him. He walks around the place like an old hand. He has got a lot of natural, fast speed which makes it easier.”
Soumillon, who first partnered Perfect Power in the Prix Morny, said, “I’m really sure he’s much better on flat ground but today, what he did, he’s shown that he’s probably the best two-year-old in Europe.”
With 18 individual winners, two Group winners, and one of the top-rated juvenile colts in Europe, Ardad is at the head of the first-season sires’ table.
On a fantastic day for Overbury Stud and its partners at Newmarket, the historic Cambridgeshire Handicap went the way of Bedouin’s Story and Godolphin. The six-year-old son of Farhh, who is now a six-time winner rated 103, was bred by Overbury Stallions and Dukes Stud and was sold as a foal to Godolphin for 90,000gns.
