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Prix de la Foret - Sunday 6th October 2013 |
Moonlight Cloud Magnificent in Foret
06/10/13
1 Moonlight Cloud 4/5F
2 Gordon Lord Byron 19/5
3 Garswood 20/1
11 ran Distances: 3l, snk, snk
TIME 1m 21.08s
Moonlight Cloud came from last to first to record an amazing victory in the Qatar Prix de la Foret at Longchamp.
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Last year's winner Gordon Lord Byron was very keen early on and Johnny Murtagh let Tom Hogan's charge stride along in front, while Thierry Jarnet settled Moonlight Cloud in last, and she looked to have an impossible task on her hands as she was still many lengths off the pace heading towards the last of the seven furlongs.
However, the Freddie Head-trained filly turned on the after-burners and caught Gordon Lord Byron in a matter of strides before powering clear and winning eased down by three lengths. Gordon Lord Byron just clung on for second by a short neck from Richard Fahey's Garswood, with Dux Scholar in fourth.
Head said: "She's a real pleasure to watch. I thought Thierry had left her a long way (back) and Gordon Lord Byron had taken an easy lead. I wondered if we would catch him, but when the speed comes, she can really quicken.
"There are no plans with her. I'm not sure about Santa Anita (the Breeders' Cup). We may go to Hong Kong, but I think it will be her last year and she will go to stud. It's been a great year for her, winning three Group Ones, beating everything."
Jarnet, enjoying a day never to forget after his win in the Arc on Treve, said: "I know her well now, I left her at the back of the field and she felt as well as when she first won here. I've ridden a lot of good horses, but she just has that turn of foot which sets her apart. She was the most important horse in my career, but now she has competition with Treve."
Fahey was more than satisfied with the effort of Garswood and is mapping out a mile campaign for next year.
He said: "I was delighted with that run. We planned to keep the horse in training next year, when he will be aimed at all the top mile races such as the Lockinge and the Queen Anne."
Qatar Prix De La Foret (Group 1)
€299,999 added, 3yo plus, 6f 211y, Class 1
11 ran
Going: Soft
| No. | Form | Horse | Age | Wt | Trainer | Jockey |
| 1 (6) | 342311 | Gordon Lord Byron (IRE) 29 | 5 | 9-2 | T Hogan | J P Murtagh |
| 2 (11) | 0-26550 | American Devil (FR) 42 | 4 | 9-2 | J Van Handenhove | P C Boudot |
| 3 (9) | 179151 | Dux Scholar 14 | 5 | 9-2 | A shavuyev | U Rispoli |
| 4 (10) | 416153 | Sommerabend 28 | 6 | 9-2 | M Rulec | G Mosse |
| 5 (3) | 0-08006 | Blarney Stone (JPN) 21 | 6 | 9-2 | Y Ikee | Y Fujioka |
| 6 (5) | 1-11145 | Style Vendome (FR) 21 | 3 | 8-13 b1 | A Clement | T Thulliez |
| 7 (2) | 2-17416 | Garswood 29 | 3 | 8-13 | R A Fahey | R L Moore |
| 8 (1) | 2-17173 | Anodin (IRE) 21 | 3 | 8-13 v | F Head | O Peslier |
| 9 (8) | 701-300 | Intense Pink 29 | 4 | 8-12 | C F Wall | S Sanders |
| 10 (7) | 418-111 | Moonlight Cloud 56 | 5 | 8-12 | F Head | T Jarnet |
| 11 (4) | 112-161 | Viztoria (IRE) 22 | 3 | 8-10 | E Lynam | W M Lordan |
