Gutsy Valorem gives O’Brien belated Group One success

AD VALOREM produced a gutsy display in the Shadwell Stud Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket yesterday to provide his trainer Aidan O’Brien with a long-overdue first Group One success in Britain this season.

The Ballydoyle handler has seen several of his high profile horses, most notably One Cool Cat, fail to come up with the goods when sent across the Irish Sea. But Ad Valorem made no mistake with a workmanlike performance in the £180,000 feature.

Jamie Spencer had the son of Danzig smartly into his stride and he settled him just off the pace, which was set by Prince Charming tracked by the winner’s stable companion Russian Blue.