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Monday, 04 October 2010 13:45 |
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English visitors were warned there would be drama in Paris at the weekend – the city hamstrung by the highest level of terrorist alert. But the only place to experience it – the drama – was at Longchamp and that didn’t even include having one’s bag searched. We could have brought any weapon into the course – bar one to beat Goldikova. Even if a Behkabad or a Sarafina had landed the Aga Khan another Arc, they wouldn’t have received the reception of the mare who took the Group One record to a new high – eleven, one beyond Miesque. Four times Paco Boy has thrown down the gauntlet and four times he has been resisted. Last year the excuse for Goldikova’s defeat was the draw and the same can be said of Paco Boy’s unavailing effort this time: but four out of four is an irrefutable statistic. Remember also, it was two out of two, Zarkava over Goldikova – what a filly she must have been…perhaps the form book helps resolve debate. Zarkava beat Dar Re Mi in the Vermeille; Dar Re Mi beat Nakayama Festa in the Sheema Classic; and Workforce held off Nakayama Festa in the Arc. Everything fits, we’re talking about a good Arc winner in Workforce but below the level of the five previous Derby-Arc heroes Sea-Bird, Mill Reef, Lammtarra, Sinndar and Sea The Stars. Next year will be the real test because the Arc is his ultimate objective. This has been announced a lot earlier than this year – indeed Workforce’s engagement was only confirmed at the eleventh hour – not that the turfistes minded, the only people really moaning were those who laid him on Betfair exchange at crazy prices over twice what he returned on the PM. A lesson learnt? Apparently the French Press got hold of the phrase “Stock Car Arc”. The sport of car smashing in Britain has been transferred to our motorways but we rarely experience horse-races as rough as this Arc. Even the carriage horses waiting to take winning connections on a post-race tour got into the act, spooking as Sir Michael Stoute and Ryan Moore tried to board. Nothing spooks Moore in a race: his nerve held, threading through the carnage. He has won the Derby, Oaks and now Arc yet lost his jockeys' title to Paul Hanagan so it was fitting that Hanagan, also showing true grit, made all with Wootton Bassett in the Lagardere. This was north of England trainer Richard Fahey’s first Group One winner but Yorkshire trainers do not habitually get top-class ammunition (bar Mark Johnston and his are snatched back by his Arab patrons as soon as they look top class. Johnston, trainer of more winners than anyone in Britain was notable by his absence in Paris). Parisians may see more of Fahey next year. With outstanding juvenile colts Frankel (in the Workforce colours), Dream Ahead (the Morny winner) and Godolphin’s Saamidd operating in Britain, Wootton Bassett could well return for the Poulains. You have been alerted.
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Frogwatch, by Rolf Johnson 
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