The autumn months are amongst the most anticipated of the year for horse racing fans, with the impressive stream of highlights including the magnificent Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Melbourne Cup, and Breeders Cup Meeting. Things aren’t too bad on the British and Irish scene either, with Irish Champions Weekend, Champions Day at Ascot, and Newmarket’s Cambridgeshire Meeting. According to the blog NewBettingSites, the titular handicap attracts much of the betting interest at that latter fixture, but two quality juvenile events also light up the final day, including the Middle Park Stakes for the colts.

The Middle Park Stakes is a prestigious Group 1 flat horse race for two-year-old Thoroughbreds, held annually at Newmarket Racecourse in England. Established in 1866, it has a rich history of showcasing some of the finest juvenile talent, many of whom have gone to stellar careers in their Classic campaign and beyond. Connections of 2023 Middle Park Stakes winner Vandeek will hope the talented son of Havana Grey can follow in the hoofprints of greatness. But when looking back at the history of this late-season highlight from HQ, who is the greatest of them all?

Over the years, many exceptional horses have triumphed in this race, making it challenging to narrow down the most talented winners to just a few. However, here we present our selection of the eight most brilliant Middle Park Stakes champions - in chronological order.

Petrarch (1875): The first true great to land this event came in 1875. Petrarch claimed this prize on his only start as a two-year-old, before going on to double Classic glory in the 2000 Guineas and St. Leger Stakes.

Isinglass (1892): A racing sensation of the late 19th century, the unbeaten juvenile campaign of Isinglass included a fast-finishing effort to claim this prize. Before his first racecourse outing, his owner/breeder Harry McAlmont placed a £100 bet on the colt to win the 1893 Derby at odds of 50/1. McAlmont's faith was duly rewarded, as Isinglass won not only the Derby but also the 2000 Guineas and St. Leger Stakes.

Pretty Polly (1903): Known as the Middle Park Plate in those days and open to fillies and colts, Pretty Polly showed the boys how it's done during a perfect nine-from-nine two-year-old season. Landing the Fillies Triple Crown in 1904, her name lives on via the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket and a Group 1 of the same name at the Curragh.

Sun Chariot (1941): Joining Pretty Polly as one of the greatest fillies to ever come home in front is this 1941 heroine who, like her predecessor, claimed the Fillies Triple Crown during her Classic season. Also in common with Pretty Polly, Sun Chariot’s name lives on courtesy of the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket.

Dante (1944): Talented sorts who win this race have a habit of being granted a race named in their honour. Such is the case with this hero of 1944. Near flawless in winning eight of nine career starts, as of 2023, Dante remains the most recent Northern-trained winner of the Derby and is the inspiration behind the Dante Stakes at York.

Abernant (1948): The 1940s represented a golden decade for this race and joining the roll of honour was sprint king Abernant. Whilst many Middle Park winners go on to success over further, Abernant continued his domination over sprint distances, winning back-to-back editions of the Nunthorpe Stakes, July Cup, and King George Stakes.

Brigadier Gerard (1970): Tasting defeat just once in his 18-race career, this Dick Hern legend is almost always in the “greatest racehorse of all time” conversation. Unbeaten at 2, he scythed through the Group 1 mile division in 1971 and 1972, picking up just about every major prize on the calendar.

Johannesburg (2001): This Aidan O’Brien-trained star couldn’t cut it in his Classic season, but during his juvenile campaign he was the best in the business – winning Champion Two-Year-Old Colt honours on both sides of the Atlantic as the result of a flawless season which included wins in this race, the Norfolk Stakes, Phoenix Stakes, Prix Morny, and Breeders' Cup Juvenile.