Prix de La Forêt |
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| Group 1, Longchamp €300,000 added, 3yo plus, Class 1, 7f |
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| Sunday 5th October 2014 | |
1 Olympic Glory 5/1F
2 Gordon Lord Byron 11/2
3 Noozhoh Canarias 20/1
4 Vorda 16/1
NR: Custom Cut (IRE), Garswood
14 ran Distances: 2l, hd, snk
TIME 1m 17.73s (fast by 2.27s)
Olympic Glory swoops fast and late to win the Qatar Prix Foret under Frankie Dettori for Al Shaqab Racing
It's confirmed Olympic Glory is to be retired
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Frankie Dettori produced Olympic Glory with a perfectly timed challenge to land the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp.
The popular Italian was seemingly keen to bide his time aboard the Richard Hannon-trained 5-1 shot and he was still last of all rounding the home turn.
Irish challengers Gordon Lord Byron and Ansgar were in the mix heading inside the last of seven furlongs, but neither had an answer as Olympic Glory produced a devastating burst, weaving his way through to seal an ultimately emphatic victory.
Tom Hogan's stable star Gordon Lord Byron, winner of the race in 2012 and second last year, was typically tough in finishing second again, with one-time Classic hope Noozhoh Canarias running his best race for a while in third.
Hannon said "That was one of the strangest races I can remember seeing. I must admit I thought the writing was on the wall a long way out.
"Frankie said before the race he would do what he wanted and that he just needed a bit of luck. But I was very worried a furlong and a half out, I have to say.
"He has been a smashing horse from day one and will now go to the Sheikh's (Joaan Al Thani) stud. It has been a pleasure to train him."
Dettori added: "Olympic Glory is a great horse, but unfortunately he has been competing in small fields when what he wants is a hard-run race, with more runners, like today.
"I had to weave my way through horses, but the race was run to suit him. I took a chance and it worked out."
Suggesting Olympic Glory could have one more run, Dettori added: "Hopefully he will now back up in the QEII."
Garswood was a late withdrawal from the race, with time now called on his racing career.
Trainer Richard Fahey tweeted: " Hope Garswood has a good stud career at Cheveley Park Stud.
"Dropped off this morning. We will miss him. He was a star."
Garswood won four races from 15 starts, including the 2013 Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and Listed races at Ayr and at Newmarket.
Qatar Prix De La Foret (Group 1)
€300,000 added, 3yo plus, 7f, Class 1
14 ran
Going: Good
| Pos | Dist | Horse | Age | Wgt | Trainer |
| 1(12) | Olympic Glory (IRE) 9/2 | 4 | 9-2 v | Richard Hannon L Dettori |
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| 2 (10) | 2 | Gordon Lord Byron (IRE) 11/2 | 6 | 9-2 | T Hogan W M Lordan |
| 3 (11) | hd | Noozhoh Canarias (SPA) 18/1 | 3 | 8-13 | C Laffon-Parias C Soumillon |
| 4 (15) | snk | Vorda (FR) 22/1 | 3 | 8-10 | P Sogorb C P Lemaire |
| 5 (4) | 2 | Anodin (IRE) 7/2F | 4 | 9-2 | F Head O Peslier |
| 6 (8) | ½ | Ansgar (IRE) 13/1 | 6 | 9-2 | Miss S J Harty James Doyle |
| 7 (6) | 1¼ | Fiesolana (IRE) 73/10 | 5 | 8-12 | W McCreery W J Lee |
| 8 (1) | snk | Gammarth (FR) 40/1 | 6 | 9-2 v | H A Pantall M Barzalona |
| 9 (13) | shd | Es Que Love (IRE) 32/1 | 5 | 9-2 | C G Cox A Kirby |
| 10 (2) | shd | That Is The Spirit 44/1 | 3 | 8-13 | D O'Meara R L Moore |
| 11 (5) | 1¼ | Karakontie (JPN) 48/10 | 3 | 8-13 | J E Pease S Pasquier |
| 12 (14) | 2 | Aljamaaheer (IRE) 18/1 | 5 | 9-2 b | R Varian P Hanagan |
| 13 (3) | shd | Darwin (USA) 30/1 | 4 | 9-2 | A P O'Brien J P O'Brien |
| 14 (9) | 10 | Speedrider (IRE) 59/1 | 4 | 9-2 | Mme P Brandt A Hamelin |
| NR | Garswood 56 | 4 | 9-2 | R A Fahey | |
| NR | Custom Cut (IRE) 9 | 5 | 9-2 | D O'Meara |
