Timeform Weekend Review: Workforce bounces back on biggest stage of all

/ Timeform / 04 October 2010 / Leave a comment

Timeform review a fascinating weekend of action in Britain and France.

"There was an element of 'change the jockey and change the result' with Ryan Moore appearing to get significantly more out of his horse than Masyoshi Ebina on the runner-up, but to place too much emphasis on that would detract from what was an outstanding training achievement by Sir Michael Stoute, who was righting a wrong by winning the first Arc of his career"

There's little question the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe is the most important Flat race in Europe, so even if the card at Newmarket on Saturday took place before it we're going to concentrate on the racing at Longchamp, and the big race itself, first and foremost. It was impossible not to be impressed with Workforce in the Derby at Epsom, and in a very rough race he confirmed himself the best of his generation in narrowly beating Nakayama Festa on Sunday. There was an element of 'change the jockey and change the result' with Ryan Moore appearing to get significantly more out of his horse than Masyoshi Ebina on the runner-up, but to place too much emphasis on that would detract from what was an outstanding training achievement by Sir Michael Stoute, who was righting a wrong by winning the first Arc of his career. Nakayama Festa got even closer than compatriot El Condor Pasa had when runner-up to Montjeu eleven years ago, whilst, in behind, a lot of credit has to go to third-placed Sarafina given how badly baulked she was in the false straight, picking up really well thereafter and finishing off best of all. Provisionally rated 132, Workforce's performance is credited as being 3 lb superior to that of Sea The Stars in the same race twelve months ago, though it needs stressing that John Oxx's colt ended his career with a superior overall rating (140) achieved elsewhere.
Elsewhere on a stellar card, Gilt Edge Girl provided Clive Cox and Luke Morris with a first Group 1 success in the Prix de L'Abbaye, but the form is clearly that of a substandard race for the grade, a winning rating of 123 confirming that view.
It was back to business as usual for Goldikova after she'd been turned over by Makfi in the Marois. A battling success in the Prix de La Foret gave her the eleventh Group/Grade 1 success of her remarkable career, a European record, and it's almost impossible to envisage her failing to extend that tally in America next month.Her defeat of the Richard Hannon-trained duo Paco Boy and Dick Turpin over a seven-furlong trip shy of her optimum means she heads to Churchill Downs as the outstanding favourite for the Breeders' Cup Mile, a race she's bidding to win for an unprecedented third time.
Comparatively speaking, it was a below-average renewal of the Prix de L'Opera, but it's still difficult to take anything away from Lily of The Valley in light of the progress she's made in the last twelve months, now unbeaten in her last six, and beating Stacelita with a bit to spare on her first crack at the top level.
The Prix Jean-Luc Lagadere didn't have a great deal of bearing on the ante-post markets for next season's classics, Frankel and Dream Ahead already having asserted their dominance on those, but Wootton Bassett took well to soft ground in winning his fifth race of five. How far he needs to go to get on terms with the top-class pair who've looked so exciting so far this season is underlined by his current rating of 116p, compared to those of Dream Ahead (130) and Frankel (129p). The form of the latter was endorsed in the preceding Prix Marcel Boussac, the filly Frankel had smashed at Doncaster, Rainbow Springs, finishing a fine third to Misty For Me. There had been an element of doubt about the solidity of the Moyglare result, and a rating of 112 shows she still has some way to go if she's to cut it in next season's classics, but Misty For Me confirmed herself one of the best juvenile fillies around by beating odds-on favourite Helleborine by a length.

Back to these shores, and on Saturday the spotlight fell on Newmarket, and in particular the thirty-five who made for a typically competitive Cambridgeshire. That said, it didn't have the feel of a vintage renewal, the first five consistent as opposed to progressive, Credit Swap getting the better of fellow older horses in Steele Tango and Pires. Fifth-placed Camerooney ensured it was a good test, the four to beat him all coming from well off the pace.
With Goldikova going into the history books less than twenty-four hours later, the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes rather pales into significance, the fillies which contested it not in the same league as that mare. That said, it would be wrong not to credit Sahpresa with a return to her very smart best as she won the race for the second season running.