By Tom Frary
Things looked ominous for the G1 Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes favourite Wise Approach (Mehmas) yards after coming out of the stalls, but what would have been a chance-ending stumble for most proved no hindrance for Godolphin's class act. Overcoming a complicated trip to emerge late with his superior acceleration under William Buick, the half-brother to the 2021 Middle Park winner Perfect Power surged up Newmarket's climb to the line to overhaul fellow TDN Rising Star Brussels (Wootton Bassett) and prevail by 3/4 of a length. Coppull (Bated Breath) was a short head away in third.
“Our plan was to take a lead, but not so much! Horse and jockey composed themselves after the horses came across him and he stumbled and full credit to both,” Charlie Appleby said of the 11-8 market-leader. “I was happy with how he travelled into it and more confident when he came out of the dip–I knew he would finish as he is great at chasing a target.”
Earning instant TDN Rising Star status on debut at Ascot in April, Wise Approach managed to get beaten in a York novice before finishing second-best to the imperious Charles Darwin in the Norfolk at Royal Ascot to temper early enthusiasm. Sent to Newbury's Listed Rose Bowl Stakes in July in an attempt to restore confidence, he shaped with newfound desire as he hammered the subsequent Gimcrack runner-up Rock On Thunder by four lengths to earn his place in a stellar line-up for Deauville's Prix Morny.
In the event, he was the fastest of the main protagonists for that prestige event but only for a furlong before fading to be third late on behind the more economically-managed Venetian Sun and Gstaad. This was hardly any more straightforward, with the early misfortune leaving him adrift but luckily for him and Buick the pace was on courtesy of Ballydoyle's First Approach (No Nay Never) who had himself provided the race's initial drama by becoming upset in the stall next to the eventual winner.
For much of the last furlong, it looked as though Brussels had this in the bag but Wise Approach was finishing off with zest to his right and once he had picked up full momentum there was little hope for the rest. “It is some performance,” Appleby added. “I felt in the Prix Morny, when William gave him a kick he was electric and then just pulled up in front, so I did say to him to put him there on the line today. He did that, but it's never easy to watch!”
The Breeders' Cup is off the agenda according to Appleby. “He's mentally getting more mature and deserves a rest now,” he concluded. “I'd say we'll put him away for this year and aim at the Commonwealth Cup.”
This effort represented major improvement from Brussels and Aidan O'Brien was seeing only positives. “He's a big, strong, fast horse and we were delighted with that run really,” he said. “He looked good first time out, but he's been a bit babyish and he was babyish again today. I think it'll come, but he's very big and I'd say all the experience he's getting this year will stand him in good stead for next year.”
“I'd imagine we'll leave him alone until next year now,” he added. “We might try seven furlongs next year, but he's probably not slow looking at him today. We'll probably have a look at a Classic with him and see how it goes.”
Coppull was making up for a below-par run in the Morny and trainer Clive Cox was delighted. “He's run a wonderful race and backed up the display that he put up in the Richmond,” he said. “I'm very proud of him and I think we can all look forward to next year with a lot of hope and confidence that he's going to maintain that Group 1 effort.”
“I thought for a moment he got a bit disorganised in the dip, but he fairly rattled home,” he added. “I think with a winter's normal progress we'll see him in the highest league next year, with the Commonwealth Cup being an obvious target. He's a joy to train and hopefully we can build on the promise he's shown this year.”
🔵 Wise Approach shows a potent turn of foot to land the Middle Park @godolphin pic.twitter.com/YOe619DGfD
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 27, 2025
Stumbles at the start, in front at the end
Incredible from Wise Approach 🔵 pic.twitter.com/B30fgUVQ1v
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 27, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Wise Approach is the fourth foal out of Sagely (Frozen Power), whose first was the aforementioned Perfect Power who also captured the Prix Morny and Royal Ascot's Commonwealth Cup and Norfolk. Also responsible for the Chesham third Golden Mind (Galileo Gold), she is kin to the Listed-placed Sagaciously whose son Epic Poet (Lope De Vega) was a Listed scorer who placed four times at Group level including when runner-up in the G2 Red Sea Turf Handicap.
Sagely is also a granddaughter of Saga D'Ouilly (Linamix), the full-sister to the Arc hero Sagamix and half to the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud-winning sire Sagacity (Highest Honor) and to the formidable broodmare Shastye (Danehill). Under the latter are the high-class Galileo trio of Japan, Mogul and Secret Gesture. Sagely's yearling full-sister to the winner will be big news at the Tattersalls October Book 1 in nearly two weeks' time.
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