Tweenhills-bred Middle Earth wins Australian Gr.3

Middle Earth, who was born, raised and grazed at Tweenhills, gained his first Stakes success in Australia when winning the Gr.3 JRA Chairman’s Handicap at Doomben on Saturday. 

Middle Earth began his racing career with John & Thady Gosden in the summer 2023, winning three races that year, inc. the Listed Noel Murless Stakes at Ascot in the colours of Qatar Racing.

He returned in 2024 with another Stakes victory in the Gr.3 Sky Sports Racing Stakes (Aston Park) at Newbury and was a creditable 3^rd in the Gr.2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.

After being bought privately – though Qatar Racing retained an interest – Middle Earth was transferred to Australia in the second half of 2024. 

His debut Down Under was a win at Flemington and he ran a stormer when 3^rd of 24 to Half Yours in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup there last November. 

Middle Earth was given a superb ride by Ethan Brown to beat 12 rivals – inc. another horse who previously carried the Qatar Racing colours in Zoology (by Zoustar) – to win the Chairman’s Handicap. The partnership hugged the rail throughout and won by a cosy length. 

Trained by Ciaron Maher, Middle Earth is by the late Roaring Lion and out of Stakes-winning Galileo mare Roheryn, also the dam of Australian Gr.1 winner Buckaroo and Stakes-placed pair Kihavah and Siege of Troy. Roheryn’s Siyouni colt sold to Godolphin for €600,000 last August and is trained by Charlie Appleby.