Workforce’s connections concerned about the ground conditions at Qatar Prix de I’Arc Triomphe but confident about the preparation
Workforce the champion of the last year’s Qatar Prix de I’Arc Triomphe might face trouble dealing with the ground conditions this time as his trainer Sir Michael Stoute has expressed some views regarding the ground not being what the horse prefers while
racing.
The trainer does not want the ground conditions to go firm in Paris when they set out racing.
"I've been really happy with his preparation, but disappointed to hear about the weather forecast because he's a big heavy horse and we do like good ground for him," Stoute told
At The Races.
It was in July last time that Workforce raced where he finished as a runner up against Nathaniel at the King George 6 Stakes and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at the Ascot.
"He's had a nice break since Ascot and I've been very, very happy with his preparation”, Stoute said.
Last time Workforce won at the Longchamp, it was a field of eighteen where he settled in mid field then shuffled back on rail at halfway, was headway by three furlong out and then had to face challenge between the two other contestants, Planteur and Nakayama
Festa by 1 ½ furlong out. In the final furlong he had the air of the leader and kept on to it strongly till he was through the wire.
Nakayama Festa being ridden by Masayoshi Ebina held up in midfield, clodes in and grabbed upon the chance three furlong out, recovered very soon and was headway on outside to lead 1 ½ furlong out, geared up one furlong out and raced under pressure when was
in the final furlong.
The third to win the race was A De Royer-Dupre’s Sarafina under Gerald Mosse. A P O’ Brien’s Fame and Glory was fifth while Saeed Bin Suroor’s Cavalryman was eighth, John Gosden’s Duncan managed fifteenth and yet another from A P O’Brien’s stable was Midas
Touch coming seventeenth.
"He's a big, heavy horse and we do like good ground for him. We will get someone to have a look at the ground for us and I am concerned about it at the moment”. The trainer explained.
The only uncertainty that the connections are going through is the ground condition otherwise the preparation is full on for the race this year as well.
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