Shalaa too hot for Middle Park rivals

Shalaa cemented his position as the leading two-year-old sprinter of the season with an all-the-way win in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket.

The 1-2 chance, trained by John Gosden, backed up his previous Group One triumph in the Prix Morny by warding off all-comers in the hands of Frankie Dettori to take the six-furlong showpiece in cosy fashion.

Ajaya kept Shalaa company for two-thirds of the race, but could not go with the eventual winner.

Mark Johnston's Buratino ran on well for second place, half a length behind, with Steady Pace, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, in third.

Shalaa was completing a juvenile Group-race double for Gosden and Dettori following the win of Foundation in the Royal Lodge.

Dettori said: "He didn't feel that great coming down the dip, he lost a bit of momentum but showed he is also brave because he could have easily given up. He showed a lot of determination.

"He has got tremendous speed, I said he was the fastest two-year-old I've ridden, I haven't met a horse fast enough to lead him, I'd love to get a lead with him, but they're not out there unfortunately.

"He changed legs about fives time coming into the dip and that cost him momentum, but he's won two Group Ones and is a great horse to have around.

"He kept going for me. He's done his job this year and deserves to be champion two-year-old."

Gosden said: "He's been on the go since March and I was a little mindful to bring him here fresh and he was probably a little short of work, but at this stage of the year if you keep working the two-year-olds you can flatten them.

"He's gone very fast, Ryan Moore came in (after riding Rouleau) and said he'd never been so fast over the first four furlongs over the Rowley Mile as he had in this race.

"The horse got a bit unbalanced going into the dip and changed his legs three or four times. All in all we're delighted with him.

"This was the last race this year for him. He was clocking 41mph and that is very quick for a horse.

"He's incredibly fast and we're lucky to have him. We're over the moon and he's got a good mind on him, too, which is very important.

"He reminds me of Oasis Dream, who broke the juvenile record here. He was also champion sprinter at three."

Johnston said of Buratino: "He went over to Ireland (Phoenix Stakes) and finished third, and that form has worked out well.

"I just wonder if he was an early-season horse, but one thing I do know is the horse is very well and everything was right for today.

"I was confident the ground would dry out, I don't think there were any excuses and today we've seen what he was made of.

"His win in the Coventry was possibly a career-best and interestingly for a horse that showed so much speed at the beginning of the season, it looks like another furlong won't be a problem to him."