What about the winner?
So the Enable story didn’t get its happy ending (if indeed it is the end). But she was not far away. Many better than me have written words regarding the great mare. But it feels as if the winner has been overlooked.
Waldgeist was a Group One winner at two and was runner up in the Prix Du Jockey Club at three. His Arc success was his fourth win at the top level.
He had been behind Enable three times including a very good third in that epic King George. He was trained to the minute by the masterful Andre Fabre, who was winning his eighth Arc.
Rode beautifully
And his jockey rode the race beautifully. Pierre-Charles Boudot went down the middle of the track, which may have contained slightly better ground.
And crucially he kept away from Enable who is the type of horse who may have found a bit more once she eyeballed a rival.
The ground was not ideal for all the runners but Waldgeist’s top three runs have been on good to soft or worse. He is a proper racehorse. Unfortunately, he will probably only be mentioned as a bit part player in the Enable story.
Waldgeist has now been put joint top of the Longines World Rankings alongside Enable and Crystal Ocean. All three are five-year-olds, so proper grown-up horses. #justsayin’
Sottsass did the best of the three-year-olds and if he stays in training at four he would have to be considered for the race next year, although he may be just as effective at ten furlongs.
Japan could improve for another winter on his back while Magical surely ran below form.
There were so many good performances over the weekend and One Master deserves a mention for winning her second Prix de la Foret.
She has won four of six over seven furlongs and the two she lost were on good to firm going. Another fantastic training performance from William Haggas.
This completed a double on the day for Pierre-Charles Boudot. He had ridden four winners on the Saturday so his weekend was fruitful.
Impressed
I was very impressed with Albigna. She won the Marcel Boussac with a bit in hand in my view. She already looks a high-class middle-distance prospect, especially with a bit of ease in the ground.
Fleeting was a short neck away from landing the Prix de l’Opera finishing with a late rattle, again.
Battaash had one of his days again. He has won on soft before so the going should not have been an issue. I think we just have to accept that he is one of those horses who, on his day, is brilliant but can throw in a stinker.
Dee Ex Bee, even without Stradivarius against him, still couldn’t get into the winner’s enclosure when finishing third in the Cadran.
Oaks winner Anapurna benefitted from a Frankie Dettori front running ride when winning the Prix Royallieu.
Many of us were hoping for Laurens to sign off her career with a win in the Sun Chariot Stakes. Alas she ran way below form. But as I said last week, she owes nobody anything.
Six Group One wins, including a French classic, and runner up in two more, one being the 1000 Guineas. She amassed £1.7 million for her connections and she was one of the most popular horses in training. We will miss her.
Laurens won the Fillies Mile two years ago beating September, one of the best fillies ever (copyright G McKenzie) in an absolute thriller. Magical was back in fourth that day so it was a decent renewal.
