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Workforce misses Breeders’
Workforce won’t run in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchill Downs this evening.
Sir Michael Stoute has been concerned about the ground for his Investec Derby and Arc hero all week and the racing office at the track confirmed at 1335 GMT that he had been scratched from the field.
Officials report it to be a “trainer’s decision”.
In his absence Behkabad is set to start favourite for France.
Going concern for Midday
Henry Cecil has stressed the jar will need to be taken out of the Churchill Downs ground for Midday.
The defending Filly & Mare Turf champion loosened her limbs with a gentle stretch on the dirt course on Tuesday morning but it’s the condition of the turf track that concerns the trainer.
“They’ve got to take the jar out of the ground, you can’t expect million pound horses to run on a road. Unless they take the jar out, which I’m sure they will, there has to be a possibility that one or two horses won’t run,” he warned.
There’s a lovely cover of grass but it is a tight track. They shouldn’t change the ground, that would be unfair to fast ground horses, but we don’t want any jar.”
Rain forecast
Rain – and a signifcant amount – is forecast at some stage on Friday and the
watering continues at Churchill Downs.
Apart from that concern, Cecil admits he will have “no excuses” if his star doesn’t win the race for the second successive season.
“She’s had a good year, those three Group One wins in eight weeks, I’ve managed to give her a bit of a breather and she seems in really good form. I think the extra furlong will suit her and she’ll handle the tight track, she’s not a big filly. We’ve no excuses…at the moment,” he grinned.
A long season can catch up with horses at this time of year but the trainer insists there are no such worries with Midday.
“I ran a horse (Picture Editor) on Saturday who was second favourite for the Derby, he was working beautifully and i couldn’t see him being beaten and overnight he just went. I think this filly is fine, she’s tough and is in good order,” he added.
Midday is 4-5 with Sky Bet for Friday’s race.
Workforce team confident
Teddy Grimthorpe is confident Workforce will show his true colours when he bids to cap an incredible season on a high in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchill Downs on Saturday week.
The son of King’s Best produced a spellbinding performance to win the Derby at Epsom by seven lengths in a course record time back in June, but then followed that with an inexplicably lifeless performance a month later in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.
Plenty doubted the three-year-old would ever rediscover his best form but having been masterfully handled by Sir Michael Stoute, he bounced back to his brilliant best to give his trainer his first taste of Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe glory at Longchamp.
The sceptics are now predictably questioning the colt’s ability to string two top-class efforts together, but Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, is keen to consign that Ascot no-show to the history books.
“We’re very hopeful that (bounce factor) won’t be a problem,” said Grimthorpe.
“I think after the King George we learnt lessons about one or two things, including how to ride him and perhaps what ground he prefers. Maybe the ground was too quick for him at Ascot.
“Nothing really came to light and he had all sorts of tests for the next two weeks. Sir Michael did an exceptional job in getting him to Longchamp in such good form and both horse and jockey performed to an excellent standard on the day.
“We were very hopeful heading to Paris, but obviously there was some trepidation because of what had happened before. We certainly weren’t as confident as we were heading for the King George.
“But on the day he was one of the stand-out horses in the paddock and once I saw him stride out and travel in the race I knew he was going to run his race.
“My first reaction after winning the two biggest mile-and-a-half races in Europe was that he had done his bit for the year, but Sir Michael was so happy with him afterwards and he was soon back into his normal work rhythm.
“He worked on Racecourse Side on Saturday morning and he really looked in tremendous shape.”
Dreadful record
Workforce will be bidding to overcome the owner’s dreadful record in the Turf with all 12 of his previous Juddmonte Farms contenders, including the brilliant Dancing Brave in 1986, having suffered defeat.
“Records are there to be broken and we need to try to put the record straight,” Grimthorpe continued.
“In fairness, Workforce has had nowhere near as harder year as Dancing Brave did and I think everyone accepts he was not the same horse in the Breeders’ Cup as he was in the Arc.”
Workforce is likely to face a far smaller field than he has encountered at both Epsom and Longchamp, but Grimthorpe also believes this will not hinder his chances.
“I don’t see why it would be a worry. He’s a horse who settles and I see no reason why he shouldn’t get into a rhythm no matter what the pace is,” he added.
Goldikova looking good
Freddie Head says Goldikova’s preparations for a record-breaking third successive Breeders’ Cup Mile victory are going smoothly.
The brilliant French filly will bid to complete a famous treble at Churchill Downs on Saturday week.
And her trainer, speaking at his yard on the edge of Chantilly, said: “Goldikova’s work has been good and she seems in great form.
“We haven’t changed anything this year and had the same prep race.
“It was even better this year as we won the Prix de la Foret so for the moment all is well. I don’t think she can do better than she is.”
The five-year-old’s two previous wins in the big race came at the Californian track of Santa Anita Park, whereas a trip to Kentucky awaits this time.
But Head is not worried by the change of venue, with Goldikova aiming to be the first horse to win three Breeders’ Cup races.
He commented: “Going to Churchill Downs this year does not change much – all the American tracks are about the same.
“The weather may be a little cooler. I don’t want too much rain. They have been having a very dry spell there and I hope it lasts.
“Even if it does rain, the ground is not going to be as soft as it was at Longchamp the other day (for the Prix de la Foret).
“She is travelling to America on Saturday – it takes 12 hours – she ships to Louisville or Lexington with a stop at Stansted to put the English horses on the plane. She is a very good traveller and does not sweat much.
Bad draw
“We had a very bad draw last year – we had ridden from the front in the Prix de la Foret and got beat and so I told Olivier (Peslier) to wait a bit with her – he was a bit further back than we wanted but that is the way races turn out.
“I was a little worried for sure – she was a long way behind the leaders in the back straight. But Olivier knew what he was doing.
“This year we led again in the Prix de la Foret but she did not fight with him – that was the big difference.
“She is very fast – she loves the speed. There is no doubt that is why she is so brilliant in the States because they start fast which we do not do here – the stalls open and everybody stops and holds back.
“The faster they go, the better she is and firm ground is good for her. She does a seven-furlong gallop every day – usually she goes out second lot at 9.30am or so.
“Her last good work will be on Thursday with Olivier but she does not need much – she is very forward in her preparation. She will then just tick over in America.
“The draw is going to be important in America. I don’t want Goldikova to be drawn on the outside again. It will be up to Olivier how he rides the race – you have to let jockeys do what they want.
“Paco Boy is a super horse – so tough and genuine. Gio Ponti if he runs, will be the one to beat this year I suppose – he is a very good horse – second in the Classic last year. Proviso is a good mare – normally we have beaten her but she is at home over there now.”
Goldikova, owned by the Wertheimer brothers, Alain and Gerard, came to join Head’s string by chance.
He explained: “With the Wertheimers, we trainers all put in a list of the yearlings we like best. Goldikova was very high in my list and they chose to give her to me – it was sheer luck.
“I get about 18 yearlings from the Wertheimers each year. I rode Anabaa, her sire, but I did not train the dam (Born Gold) – my sister Criquette did.
“I thought she was a very nice looking yearling – she had everything and good looks. She is a total bay – no white hairs. I go to the Wertheimers’ farm near Deauville two or three times a year – there is a lovely stud there.
“When she was two and I returned from Deauville that year, she started to work and she was going very well.
“She won very easily first time out at Chantilly and I thought to run her in the Prix Marcel Boussac but Zarkava had been very impressive and I didn’t want to take her on – Goldikova wasn’t ready for that.
“I ran her in another normal race and she won that – I knew then that she was good but I didn’t know how good she was going to be.
“In the spring of her three-year-old career, she got beat on very soft ground and then she was second to Zarkava in the French Guineas. We ran in the Prix Diane which was a little far and she finished third behind Zarkava again.
“At that time, I said she was good but maybe not that good. Then she won a mile Group Three at Maisons-Laffitte easily and I knew then there was something special.
“She is much tougher now and she has improved with age – I think she was very backward.
“She is a bit funny in her box – you cannot pat her – she can come at you, biting and she can kick if she does not like you. She has had the same lad throughout and he can do anything with her.”
At this point, the Breeders’ Cup Mile is her last intended race but there is a possibility of this changing.
“The Wertheimers love racing – for them it is what they like – to have a horse like her is everything. The stress of her running – that is their pleasure.
“The Wertheimers’ grandfather started the breeding. Last year, the Wertheimers said they were going to keep Goldikova in training – the main goal was to go back to the Breeders’ Cup.
“They love that race. Alain Wertheimer lives in America so winning the Breeders’ Cup has always been the main target.
“We are not talking about whether she will run after the Breeders’ Cup – for the moment she won’t race any more.”
Not surprisingly Head believes that Goldikova is a one-off, admitting: “She is extraordinary – for a trainer to have a horse like her is unbelievable – I don’t think I will train a better horse – she is very special.
Brilliant
“To watch her in the morning and in the afternoon, she gives exactly the same – she is brilliant – cantering she is always free with a beautiful action. She is a dream to train – you can do whatever you want with a horse like that.
“She takes a good hold – she is that sort of horse – she has so much gas. With time, she has got a bit naughtier I suppose.
“She is very sound, has the will and is happy. She does not race much -she runs five or six races a year so we have not over-raced her.
“She is happy – in a great routine. Training is routine – 90 per cent routine and 10 per cent inspiration.
“It is a bit stressful to train her sometimes but – touch wood – she has been very, very easy. She has never had anything wrong and has been very sound.
“I don’t think I will ever have a horse like her again – winning so many Group Ones (a record 11 for a European-based horse).
“Maybe I will have one who for a short time is as good but she is very special because she is as good as she was three years ago – that is very rare.
“There is a bit of pressure but I am relaxed – things are going well at the moment. I think she is well – this is racing and we are not sure to win.
“It is a bit special trying to win three Breeders’ Cup races. It would be great to happen. I have been lucky enough to both ride (two Breeders’ Cup Mile victories on Miesque) and train winners at the Breeders’ Cup.
“I take great pleasure in training. I have a very small string – 70 horses right now. I can have 100 and I think I will get that number at the start of next season. I have very good owners.
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