Racing:Workforce bounced back to form and gave trainer Michael Stoute his first success in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp. The Epsom Derby winner 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.
Japanese raider Nakayama Festa ran a fantastic race, pushing the winner all the way to the line but just losing out following a stirring battle. Sarafina was the one that finished best of all in third but the race was already over and she had to make do with minor honours.
Aidan O’Brien’s Misty For Me had earlier secured her second Group One haul with a battling effort in the Total Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp. The Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine was always well to the fore in the hands of Johnny Murtagh.
But when hot favourite Helleborine cruised up menacingly inside the final two furlongs, O’Brien’s charge seemed set for minor honours.
Helleborine looked like running away with the contest when quickening up smartly to join Misty For Me, but O’Brien’s filly was in determined mood and found enough for pressure to pass the post in front.
John Gosden’s Rainbow Springs ran a big race in third to give a nice boost to the form of Frankel, who beat her out of sight at Doncaster recently.
O’Brien said: “She’s a very good filly. She’s an Oaks and a Guineas filly next year — she could do both. She won her maiden over six furlongs and is by Galileo out of a Storm Cat mare.”
Murtagh added: “I was a bit worried about the ground but she was very relaxed and she found plenty for me. She’s won two Group Ones now, so she’s a grand filly. This is a race all the great fillies have won and hopefully she can come back and do it again next year.
“She’s not short of speed but I’m confident she will get the mile. I hope she stays a mile and a half and if she does, she’ll be a real Classic prospect. The Guineas is always a good starting point and I’m sure Aidan will have her in the right races.”
Wootton Bassett then made it five wins from as many starts with a brilliant all-the-way win in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. Ridden by title-chasing jockey Paul Hanagan, Richard Fahey’s youngster was quickly away in the seven-furlong contest and looked to be plenty keen enough in the early exchanges.
However, the Iffraaj colt quickened clear heading inside the final two furlongs and only had to be kept up to his work in the closing stages to score with plenty to spare. It was a first Group One triumph for both trainer and jockey.
Gilt Edge Girl gave Clive Cox and Luke Morris Group One glory with an impressive performance in the Qatar Prix de l’Abbaye.
The four-year-old raced tight to the rail throughout having broken from stall one and was never far away from the pace.
Once sent to the front, the chestnut quickly opened up a sizeable advantage and had enough in the tank to hold off fellow filly and British raider Lady Of The Desert, with Mar Adentro claiming third.
Gilt Edge Girl won a Leopardstown Group Three earlier in the season and Cox felt the testing ground had helped her make the transition to Group One winner.
He said: “It’s a great feeling. She has been improving all the way through the season and when I saw her odds were 50-1 on the PMU, it made it look like she wasn’t fancied. She has good Group Two form, has a really big heart, and loves the ground. I’m very pleased for Luke, he’s a very good jockey.”
Brian Meehan was equally delighted with the effort of Lady Of The Desert after what has been a mixed campaign.
He said: “I’m really pleased. She won well at Ascot but she’s only just starting back at sprinting really and is still sharpening up. She’ll stay in training next year.”
Gentoo finished with a wet sail to land the Qatar Prix Du Cadran, the opening race of the day, under Gerald Mosse. Alain Lyon’s Prix Gladiateur winner was ridden with the utmost confidence at the rear of the field before making stealthy headway in the home straight.
Marcus Tregoning’s Askar Tau was the first to commit for home and Kasbah Bliss also travelled menacingly, but neither had any answer to Gentoo’s finishing kick and he pulled right away in the closing stages to record an impressive success. Winter Dream also came from the rear to grab second, with Kasbah Bliss third.
Kasbah Bliss’ trainer Francois Doumen blamed the testing underfoot conditions, which won’t please Aidan O’Brien who has Fame and Glory running in the Prix De L’Arc at 3.05pm, for his charge’s slightly disappointing effort.
“All I can say is ground, ground, ground. It was worse than we expected — the jockey said it was like a potato field,” said Doumen. “Hopefully he will get invited to Hong Kong, he will get his ground there.”
Askar Tau was dismounted before he came back to winner’s enclosure but Tregoning was able to allay any fears about his well being.
“He’s okay, he was just very tired. Apart from that, he ran a very good race,” said the trainer.
Lyon, securing his first Group One win, said: “He is not a horse who shows you anything in the mornings. We weren’t expecting a year ago to be standing here after winning the first race of this day.
“We are a bit surprised, so we hadn’t thought of what we would do after this race. We will take him home and see how he is before making a decision.”