Middle Park on Point's agenda Blue Point remains on course to make his first start in Group One company in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. Godolphin's juvenile also holds entries in the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at the Curragh and the Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury, but the six-furlong prize at the Rowley Mile on September 24 remains the preferred option. After having tasted defeat for the first time in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood, the Charlie Appleby-trained son of Shamardal impressively made his second venture into Pattern-race company a winning one in the Gimcrack Stakes at York. His next engagement at Headquarters is likely to see a rematch with Goodwood conqueror Mehmas, as well as a showdown with Aidan O'Brien's unbeaten 2000 Guineas favourite Caravaggio. Appleby said: "It was not something that surprised at York. "We've always thought a lot of the horse and we were not disappointed when he was beaten at Goodwood. "He was beaten through greenness in the Richmond, but he came out of that race very well and he could not have been more impressive in the Gimcrack. "After Goodwood we contemplated stepping him up to seven furlongs but he put in a blistering piece of work and showed that natural pace again so we decided to stick at six. "Mentally and physically he has done well, and the likelihood is now that he will head for the Middle Park as he just shows us so much speed at the moment."
