Middle Earth bounced back from his St Leger disappointment to win the Troy Asset Management Noel Murless Stakes at Ascot.

Following victory in the lucrative Melrose Handicap at York in August, the John and Thady Gosden-trained colt was supplemented for last month’s Doncaster Classic at a cost of £50,000, but finished a well beaten seventh on softer ground.

Back on a sounder surface in Berkshire, Middle Earth was a 9-4 chance for what looked a warm renewal of this Listed contest and ultimately got the job done in good style.

William Buick set out to make every yard of the running aboard St Leger sixth Chesspiece, with Oisin Murphy aboard Middle Earth and Jim Crowley on 6-4 favourite Naqeeb – a half-brother to the top-class pair of Baaeed and Hukum – content to bide their time for much of the one-mile-six-furlong journey.

With Naqeeb unable to pick up, it was Middle Earth who was produced to challenge Chesspiece – and while no quarter was given by either horse or jockey, it was Murphy’s mount who found most when it mattered to prevail by a length. Naqeeb was a further five and a half lengths behind in third.

Murphy, completing a double on the card having earlier steered Andrew Balding’s Hampden Park to success in the colours of Sir Alex Ferguson, told Sky Sports Racing: “Middle Earth found the ground a little bit soft at Doncaster and when I knew I couldn’t run well I looked after him.

“Fortunately he trained well between then and now, John was very happy and Thady felt like his work was good, so he was allowed to take his chance and I’m delighted. It’s a nice way to finish his season and Sheikh Fahad (owner) will be over the moon.

“We’ll look forward to next year. He’s a beautiful horse, easy to ride and he seems to stay well.”

Inspiral and Mqse De Sevigne lock horns in an intriguing Anglo-French clash for the Virgin Bet Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.

John and Thady Gosden’s Inspiral has won seven of her 11 starts for Cheveley Park Stud, a record which includes four victories at Group One level in the hands of Frankie Dettori – who heads into the weekend one short of 500 career winners at Headquarters.

The four-year-old has been kept fresh since successfully defending her crown in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville in August and connections are looking forward to her return on what is set to be the penultimate Saturday of Dettori’s riding career in Britain.

“She’s in good form and the ground will suit. Softer ground can dampen her finish, but I think the ground on Saturday will be perfect,” said Cheveley Park’s managing director Chris Richardson.

“It’s very competitive and the French filly, Mqse De Sevigne, is to be respected, as are all the field.

“I think the French filly is the one we’ve got to be worried about, but if you’re not in you can’t win, so let’s hope Frankie can work some more magic.”

Plans beyond this weekend for Inspiral remain uncertain, although a trip to the Breeders’ Cup next month is not being ruled out.

Richardson added: “She’s obviously lightly raced, so we can see after Saturday whether Mrs Thompson (owner) will consider the Breeders’ Cup option as her swansong, or indeed whether she might stay in training next year, which hasn’t been decided yet.”

Mqse De Sevigne is on a Group One hat-trick for French maestro Andre Fabre after winning the Prix Rothschild over a mile and the Prix Jean Romanet over a mile and a quarter.

She is likely to encounter quicker ground than she has so far this season over the Rowley Mile, but Fabre – who won the 2015 Sun Chariot with Esoterique – is not too worried.

He said: “She is in good shape and I hope she should run well.

“I don’t think the ground is too much of a concern, maybe over this distance it might be a bit sharp for her but she has done well over this distance before.

“She will go for the Breeders’ Cup (Filly And Mare Turf) after this.”

The Gosden team have an interesting second string to their bow in the form of Coppice, who is sent back into battle just eight days after winning the Listed Rosemary Stakes over the course and distance.

Barry Mahon, racing manager for owner-breeders Juddmonte, said: “She’s an intended runner, she came out of last weekend in good shape and the ground looks like it’s going to be good to firm.

“It’s a huge jump up, but we’re planning on going to America with her as a four-year-old and we thought we’d give her one little bite at a Group One here before she went.”

The Richard Hannon-trained Heredia also faces a step up in class after winning the Listed Dick Hern Stakes at Haydock and the Group Three Atalanta Stakes at Sandown on her two most recent starts.

“Richard Hannon has been really pleased with her since Sandown, she has bounced out of that race,” said Richard Brown, racing manager for owners St Albans Bloodstock.

“We took our time and said we would only do it if you were completely happy and Richard says she has never been better, so we’re happy to take a chance.”

Meditate (Aidan O’Brien), Random Harvest (Ed Walker), Goldana (Joseph O’Brien) and Roman Mist (Archie Watson) complete the field.

Natalia Lupini will keep a close eye on ground conditions at the Curragh before committing her unbeaten filly Kitty Rose to a run in Saturday’s Staffordstown Stud Stakes.

An impressive winner as a 25-1 shot on her racecourse debut at Naas in August, the daughter of Invincible Army proved there was no fluke about that performance when successfully stepping up to Listed class in the Ingabelle Stakes at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend.

Lupini hopes to see her stable star go in search of the hat-trick at Group Three level this weekend, but warns her participation is ground dependent.

“She has been in good form and she’s ready to run, the only thing is we’re monitoring the ground as we had a lot of rain yesterday and today,” said the County Armagh-based Italian.

“We’ll just have to keep a close eye on the ground as she probably doesn’t want it too soft, so we’re not going to run her on very soft ground.

“She seems to have stepped up a gear in her work since Leopardstown and everything looks good apart from the weather, unfortunately!

“The current owners are thinking this will be her last run of the year. She’s a big filly and she will definitely benefit from a winter break.”

Kitty Rose’s potential rivals include the experienced Aidan O’Brien-trained pair of Brilliant and Content and Gavin Cromwell’s Royal Ascot heroine Snellen.

The latter beat the boys in the Chesham Stakes in June, but needs to bounce back from a disappointing run when last of eight in the Debutant Stakes at the Curragh on her most recent start.

Leading 1000 Guineas contender Fallen Angel is set to sidestep next weekend’s bet365 Fillies’ Mile and be put away until next season.

The daughter of Too Darn Hot has won three of her four starts to date, her only defeat coming at the hands of Shuwari in the Star Stakes at Sandown in July.

Karl Burke’s filly bounced back to winning ways with a dominant success in the Sweet Solera at Newmarket before striking Group One gold in last month’s Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh.

A potential rematch with Shuwari on the Rowley Mile looked to be on the cards, but connections of Fallen Angel feel their filly has done enough for this season and they will now spend the winter dreaming of Classic glory next spring.

“I’d say she is unlikely to run again this year and will just head straight for a Guineas next year,” said Joe Foley, racing manager for owners Clipper Logistics.

“We were always planning to give her just four runs this year. If she hadn’t won the Moyglare we would have targeted the Fillies’ Mile, but she’s already a Group One winner at two now and she’s a big filly with lots of scope for next year, so we don’t want to interfere with that.

“We’ve decided to let her off and give her a break, so she’s not going to run in the Fillies’ Mile and she was never going to a Breeders’ Cup this year.”

On whether Fallen Angel could have a prep run before running in the 1000 Guineas next year, Foley added: “We’ll see how she goes and leave that to Karl. Going straight to the Newmarket Guineas was the original plan, but that could change.”

Ascot’s Jim Barry Cumberland Lodge Stakes has been a happy hunting ground for Shadwell down the years and they have a strong hand again this Saturday.

The likes of Mutamam, Nayef, Mubtaker, Mawatheeq, Laaheb, Hawaafez, Laraaib and Hukum have carried the famous blue and white silks to victory in this mile-and-a-half contest since the turn of the century.

Angus Gold, racing manager for Shadwell, said: “It’s a very good race for older staying horses and it comes at a nice time in the calendar, so we’ve always kept it in mind.”

This term, Jim Crowley has opted to partner the William Haggas-trained Al Aasy, who followed up a Haydock victory at this Group Three level by chasing home Irish Derby runner-up Adelaide River at Leopardstown when giving away 11lb.

“He ran very well at Leopardstown,” commented Gold. “He had to come from a long way back and the winner had already kicked on well.

“This horse is in good form and hopefully he can put in another good performance at Ascot.”

Benoit De La Sayette will get the leg-up on Israr for John and Thady Gosden in the same colours.

He was an impressive scorer in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket before faltering behind Bay Bridge at Kempton last time out.

“Everyone was of the same opinion that he just didn’t handle the all-weather; he just looked miserable on it,” stated Gold.

“It was a hot day, the surface got very sticky and he just hated it, so we’ll get him back on the turf and he should enjoy that a lot more.”

Stablemate Fortino, a multiple Group One winner in Chile, also struggled to get into the September Stakes and finished a well-beaten last of seven on his debut for the yard.

Al Qareem returned from 175 days off when bravely battling back to beat Bluestocking in the Listed-class Stand Cup Stakes at Chester last month.

“He’s come out of the race at Chester well and he will improve fitness-wise for that run,” said Nick Bradley, managing director of owners Nick Bradley Racing.

“It is obviously a slight step up in grade and this will tell us if we go for another Group Three in three weeks’ time or think about the Prix Royal-Oak.”

L’Astronome was two and a half lengths back in third in that Roodee race on his first start for Hugo Palmer since switching from France, where he was a Group Two scorer at ParisLongchamp last summer.

Claymore has a Group Three course success in last season’s Hampton Court Stakes to his credit but has been hit by setbacks since then.

On his only start this term, the son of New Bay was tailed off behind Hukum in the Brigadier Gerard at Sandown back in May, when it was reported that he bled from the nose.

Jane Chapple-Hyam is hoping her charge is back fit and well, though, and commented: “We’ve got to try and he’s been off the track a while.

“I would prefer it to be over a mile and a quarter, but he’s back on his winning track. There wasn’t much else for older horses.

“Neil Callan came in and rode him and liked what he rode and was pleased with him.

“He’s just had little niggles here and there, but we feel we have ironed them all out and he’s ready for a run.”

Euchen Glen took top honours in the 2020 renewal of this race when it was rerouted to York after the original Ascot fixture was abandoned due to waterlogging.

The 10-year-old was sixth behind Hamish in it 12 months ago for Jim Goldie and makes the long trip down from Scotland again.

Postileo earned this step up in class by landing the Lanark Silver Bell Handicap, Hamilton’s richest-ever prize, when fitted with cheekpieces for the first time.

Patrick Mullins will be bidding to make it third time lucky in the Velka Pardubicka when he gets the leg up aboard defending champion Mr Spex at Pardubice on Sunday.

The decorated amateur rider is yet to complete in the challenging four-and-a-quarter-mile cross-country contest, having fallen from Kaiserwalzer in his two previous attempts in the famous Czech contest.

However, he has a Pardubice specialist on his side this time around, with Lubos Urbanek’s nine-year-old not only the winner last year, but also third in 2021.

“It’s a hugely exciting day and it’s an honour to be asked to go and ride last year’s winner,” said Mullins. “It’s a fantastic opportunity and I can’t wait.

“This is my third time going over and I’ve had a few seconds and thirds in some of the other races but no joy in the Velka yet.

“Mr Spex won last year and was third the year before, so he would have to have a huge chance and I’m hoping for third time lucky. He has a fabulous record around the track and a clear round would be a great start, but I’m hoping we will be bang there at the finish as well.”

Charlie Mann was the last British rider to triumph in the Velka Pardubicka when partnering It’s A Snip in 1995, but no Irish jockey has ever won the unique contest, which Mullins has many fond memories of from down the years.

He added: “I remember Richard Dunwoody going over one year to ride Risk Of Thunder and Ruby (Walsh) went over one year and broke his leg in a race before the Velka.

“When you watch the videos of it, it is proper National Hunt racing. To be a part of it and compete in it is a privilege.”

Despite failing to complete in his two previous spins aboard Kaiserwalzer, the County Carlow native believes the Pardubice cross-country circuit compares favourably with both the Cheltenham and Punchestown equivalents.

And although having to encounter the famous Taxis and it’s formidable five-metre ditch, he embraces the different proposition the Czech track presents.

“They are slightly different but at the end of the day they are just jumps,” he added. “The horses have run over them before so you are trying not to interfere with them too much.

“The Taxis is very wide but the rest of them would be very similar to the Punchestown and Cheltenham cross-country tracks.

“The water jumps are slightly different, they are flat water jumps. They are wider and there is no upright in front of them. They are probably the most different jumps, but at the end of the day they are just jumps.

“I like the variety, I think it makes it exciting and interesting and it is a very special race.”

Back on home soil, the record-breaking amateur has made a stellar start to the 2023-24 campaign, bringing up his 800th career winner at Listowel last month, and currently leads the Irish jump jockeys’ championship.

Mullins now anticipates a slight easing in the numbers ahead of some of the stable’s main hopes striding out onto the track in the coming months and believes there is plenty of ammunition in Closutton to look forward to.

“We’ve had a superb start and the bumper horses have been running out of their skin,” he said.

“We will probably have a little bit of a lull now, with our summer team coming to an end and our winter team about to begin, but it looks like we have plenty of soldiers to go to war with in the winter and I’m looking forward to turning the screw with them over the next six weeks or so.

“We’re kind of the end of November before ours start coming out, so we’re a bit away yet.”

Zoulu Chief has the chance to land a valuable prize at Newmarket on Saturday when bidding for a hat-trick in the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes.

Heather Main’s youngster has been in destructive form this summer, winning a pair of competitive nursery handicaps in devastating fashion from the front.

The handler was keen to test the strong-travelling front-runner in Group company following the second of his victories at York but that plan was thwarted by wet conditions throughout September.

As a result, the Zoustar colt and regular pilot Gina Mangan now get the opportunity go in search of the £81,165 first prize on the Rowley Mile, with Main keen to get her charge back on track having not been seen for 45 days.

“He’s ready to run again and we’re excited to get him out again,” said Main.

“We’ve had this race in sight for a while since we bought him and I think it will suit him nicely.

“I really wanted to run him in the Mill Reef or the Flying Childers at Doncaster but the ground went against him which was frustrating. Hopefully it will hold out until Saturday for him.”

Zoulu Chief has made his mark when allowed to bowl along in explosive fashion and Main sees no reason to change proven tactics now.

She added: “It’s how he likes to race so I think it will be the usual.”

Tom Ward’s Woodhay Wonder secured over £50,000 when winning a similar contest on the July course in late August and has been held back by his handler for a tilt at further riches in this event.

The daughter of Tamayuz was a respectable third in the Group Two Duchess of Cambridge Stakes before that and her touch of class could come to the fore once again.

“She’s a nice filly and I think she has come on a bit from her last win at Newmarket,” said Ward.

“She’s fresh and well and I have kept her fresh for this race having got some black type with her earlier in the year.

“She’s got plenty of size and scope about her so hopefully she will be a nice filly next season as well, but we’ll have this last run and then put her away. She’s a nice type and I hope she will run a nice race.

“She’s already picked up one of these races and hopefully will run well and go close again on Saturday.”

Amy Murphy’s Dubai Hills (fourth), Richard Hannon’s Commander Crouch (fifth) and Karl Burke’s Cuban Slide (seventh) all finished behind Woodhay Wonder in August, as did James Ferguson’s Drama who finished 11th.

However, the latter is backed to improve on that effort this time by his handler.

Ferguson said: “Things didn’t go to plan for Drama last time at Newmarket.

“I still have plenty of confidence in the horse. His work has been impressive, and you cannot shy away from a challenge with this sort of prize money on offer.”

Dragon Leader has already proven to be a real money-spinner this season and will be chasing more sales race riches in the William Hill Two Year Old Trophy at Redcar.

Following a Salisbury double, the Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds-owned juvenile picked up just under £150,000 for winning a similar contest at York in August.

Clive Cox’s son of El Kabeir then had to settle for second best behind Room Service in a Weatherbys-backed event at Doncaster, but still collected almost £60,000 for his efforts that day.

With the weights for Saturday’s Listed-class race again framed around auction ring activities, the bargain buy is once more favoured by conditions.

Sam Hoskins, racing manager for Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds, said: “We’re really looking forward to seeing him run again and it’s a perfect fit in terms of where he sits in the weights because of his sire’s median price.

“The ground was just a bit too soft for him at Doncaster but he still ran a very game race to finish second and it was another good day all round. Hopefully, it will be a little quicker at Redcar on Saturday, as that will suit him much better.

“He doesn’t owe us anything and we’re obviously aware of the fact that it’s the end of a relatively busy first season for him.

“But Clive says he’s going well at home and showing no signs of being over the top, so fingers crossed he holds his form.

“It’s quite nerve-wracking being odds-on for such a valuable race, but we’ve got 15 of his owners going up to Redcar and it promises to be another great day out.”

There is always the temptation for syndicate owners to cash in on a star juvenile, but Dragon Leader’s 16 patrons appear to be in it for the long haul.

“There were quite a few enquiries about him after his win at York but his syndicate are in it for the sport and a bit of fun, so it would have taken an exceptional offer to tempt anyone,” added Hoskins.

“He’s a horse that’s got plenty of scope and we’re all very excited about where he could take us again next season.”

Karl Burke’s Kylian looked the main danger but was taken out on Friday morning when he was found to be lame.

Richard Fahey’s Flaccianello was two and a half lengths adrift of Dragon Leader when fifth at Doncaster last month but has since secured her third success in an Ayr nursery and is the second choice of the bookmakers.