Workforce lands Arc glory

Workforce
12 April 2012

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.

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.

"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."

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

He said: "He was back to his best best today. 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."

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