Two Arts could clash again

Dutch Art and Excellent Art could renew rivalry in Newmarket’s Middle Park Stakes on September 29 after finishing first and third in Sunday’s Prix Morny at Deauville.

The former maintained his unbeaten record when registering a cosy victory at the French track, where he had Neville Callaghan’s juvenile just over a length behind him.

Dutch Art could take his chance in the Dewhurst Stakes – run over seven furlongs – rather than the Middle Park, but handler Peter Chapple-Hyam is not favouring one race over the other at present.

“I don’t really have a preference for either of the two Newmarket races, and we will see how he gets on in the next couple of weeks, but the trip doesn’t matter – he will get seven furlongs,” he told the Racing Post.

Callaghan was thrilled with Excellent Art’s effort and would not be dissuaded from having a crack at the Middle Park if Chapple-Hyam’s charge were to make the line-up.

“Excellent Art is a nice, improving horse with a golden temperament,” he said. “I am thinking of taking on the winner again.

“The unbeaten French horse (Sandwaki) was a further three lengths away and it was a good performance. He is in the Middle Park and he is more likely to go for that than the Dewhurst. Then that will be it for the year.”