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Workforce Lands Arc Glory
03/10/10

1 Workforce (Ryan Moore) 6-1
2 Nakayama Festa (M Ebina) 22-1
3 Sarafina (Gerald Mosse) 12-1

Derby hero Workforce bounced back to his best to give trainer Sir Michael Stoute his first success in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in a thrilling finish at Longchamp.

The King's Best colt travelled strongly throughout in the hands of champion jockey Ryan Moore but was still nearer last than first on the turn for home.

However, he showed an excellent turn of foot given the testing conditions to hit the front approaching the final furlong and dug deep in the closing stages to repel the sustained challenge of Nakayama Festa. Sarafina was third.

Workforce

Stoute said: "He was a big disappointment in the King George. It's been a real team effort (to get him back) and I'm not just saying that as a cliche. The jockey gave him some ride."

Stoute added: "If you have any ambition when you start training, you want to win the Arc.

"We have had a lot of horses running particularly well in it without doing it, so I'm thrilled, especially as he was so impressive on Derby day and the King George performance was inexplicable.

"Ryan felt he should have just switched him off more and I think I may have trained him too hard for the race. I said that to Prince Khalid (Abdullah, owner) afterwards so I think I was proved right on that.

"I don't know if I'm likely (to train him as a four-year-old) but I'd love to.

"It was a great ride."

Moore was pleased to put his King George nightmare behind him and right the record books.

"He was back to his best best today," he said.

"He got a nice run through, it got a bit tight at the top of the false straight but there was half a gap there and he was very brave and really quickened into it well.

"The Japanese horse kept at him but he has a great attitude and Ascot wasn't him."

Youmzain had finished runner-up in the last three renewals of the race but never threatened to land a blow this time.

His trainer Mick Channon said: "There were no real excuses, although he didn't have possy (position) and probably didn't travel as well as he normally does.

"At one point I thought he'd struck into himself when Richard (Hughes) looked down.

"I'm disappointed (with the result) but not with the horse, as he's given it everything in this race over the last four years.

"We live to fight another day and we'll have to see what Jaber (Abdullah, owner) wants to do."

Another British raider well beaten was John Gosden's Duncan and his rider William Buick said: "There are no real excuses, although turning into the straight the pacemakers stopped in front of me and that didn't help."

WORKFORCE CROWNED BEFORE NEARLY 45,000 SPECTATORS AT LONGCHAMP

The Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe 2010 saw English runner Workforce crowned at the end of an action-packed race. Many waves marked the world thoroughbred championship but the victory of winner at the Epsom Derby 2010 gave a performance that was all the more exceptional for its power. In close battle with Japanese runner Nakayama Festa over almost 250 metres, in the end Workforce won out, offering his trainer Sir Michael Stoute his first Arc trophy (despite his many other victories in major races around the world). It was also the first for jockey Ryan Moore who has had an outstanding year, emerging as champion of the Epsom Derby and Oaks, and marks the fourth Arc for owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, previously winning with Rainbow Quest, Dancing Brave and Rail Link. Workforce beat the Japanese horse by one head. The unfortunate Sarafina finished third before fellow Aga Khan runner Behkabad and the Irish Fame and Glory.

In the Qatar Arabian World Cup (the Arabian version of the Arc), French owner Alban de Mieulle’s Général pulled off a double a year after having earned the title of best horse in his category in this same race in 2009. Here again, the competition was fierce and favourite Jalnar Al Khalidia came in a close second.

The great champion Goldikova, she has amassed yet another Group 1 win in the Qatar Prix de la Forêt: An 11th achievement in a race of the highest level for the protégée of the trainer from Chantilly, Freddy Head. She will now head to the United States to bid for a hat trick in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. This feat would be a historical first.

Amongst the French winners, the victories of Gentoo in the marathon Qatar Prix du Cadran and of Jean-Claude Rouget’s quinella in the NYSE Euronext Prix de l’Opéra: a young Lilly of The Valley (‘a potential Arc contender’ according to her trainer from Pau) beat out the more experienced Stacelita.

In addition to the Arc, foreign runners took three other Group 1 races: Qatar Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp by Gilt Edge Girl, Total Prix Marcel Boussac by the Irish Misty For Me and Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère won by Wootton Basset, giving his jockey Paul Hanagan, currently top jockey on the other side of the Channel, his first Group 1 win. Major champions tread the track of the Parisian racecourse this week-end and horse racing fans are already looking forward to Sunday, October 2^nd 2011.