Mill Reef Stakes for Array

Juddmonte two-year-old Array produced a tenacious performance to earn his first Pattern-race success in the Gr.2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 24th September, by Tom Frary:

With the ground riding heavy at Newbury, the Gr.2 Mill Reef Stakes had the potential to become a war of attrition and ultimately it was Array who proved toughest. Off the mark in a Newmarket novice before finishing third in the Gr.3 Sirenia Stakes over this six-furlong trip at Kempton earlier this month, the Andrew Balding-trained homebred was placed near the fore by Oisin Murphy from the outset.

Committed passing two out, the 7-4 favourite was forced to scrap late to ward off Mister Sketch but proved equal to score by half a length, with Seven Questions a short head away in third. For the trainer, the success has special meaning being named after his father's brilliant figurehead of the 70s. "Obviously this race is important to our family," he said. "We try to find one for it, but dad trained our last winner, Firebreak, while I've had two seconds and a third before this. I can't see why this won't be a horse with a big future and Oisin thinks it would be worth trying him over further. It's not impossible he will get a mile. He was very tough today and has a great mind on him. The Middle Park is too soon and if he was supplemented into the Dewhurst, it would need a unanimous decision."