INVESTEC DERBY WHIRLWIND FOR WORKFORCE
Saturday, June 5, 2010 at 08:58PM 
Workforce - Investec Derby (Gr1)
(Photo : Reuters)
INVESTEC DERBY (Gr1)
Epson Downs, 5 June 2010
Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Workforce (by King’s Best) had little to recommend him on the form book and entered today’s Investec Derby (Gr.1) the least experienced in the line-up, but his performance was one for the ages as he surged to a seven-length victory in course record time.
Hanging and workmanlike in the wake of Cape Blanco (Galileo) in York’s Dante Stakes (Gr.2) on 13 May, the imposing homebred was a different proposition here and after settling in mid-division quickened up the stretch to reel in the runaway Ballydoyle outsider At First Sight (Galileo) with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining. Keeping rolling to the line, the 6-1 shot provided Sir Michael Stoute with a fifth renewal as he knocked a second off the previous best set by Lammtarra in 1995.
“It’s always a great thrill and seems to get more thrilling,” his trainer commented. “The Dante didn’t go as we wanted it, but he was seriously good today. I’m particularly delighted that Ryan (Moore) won it, as he has put a lot of work into this horse and I’m also delighted for Prince Khalid (Abdullah) and the Juddmonte team, who is a great supporter of the stable and racing all over the world.”
Workforce was electric on debut when establishing a reputation as big as his considerable frame by beating the subsequent Tattersalls Timeform Million winner Oasis Dancer (Oasis Dream) by six lengths in a seven-furlong Goodwood maiden in September. Not risked in the end-of-term pattern-race tests thereafter, the home-bred took time to come to himself in the spring and despite attracting ante-post support for the 2000 Guineas, was left alone until the Dante.
In the event, his reappearance there raised question marks as he failed to find a rhythm behind the freewheeling Cape Blanco and battled into the runner’s-up spot with the bit pulled through his mouth. In the short space of time between that trial and this test, the Sir Michael Stoute stable made the necessary adjustments with a Lingfield racecourse spin for extra experience and the fitting of a crossed noseband to aid the steering. Surrounded by the hoodoo that no beaten Dante runner had gone on to Epsom glory, Workforce was all professionalism as he put that statistic to bed in the owner-breeder’s second colors also carried to glory by Commander In Chief in 1993.
Breaking well, the bay was reined back to race in mid-pack as Seamus Heffernan set the necessary fractions on At First Sight and Ryan Moore refused to panic as the front-runner stole a march running down to Tattenham Corner. Engaging top gear in early stretch, his imperious burst devoured the long-time leader passing the quarter pole and carried his rider to a memorable Oaks-Derby double. “I got a clean run and I was happy where I was early,” Ryan Moore said. “He traveled beautifully and turning in, he quickened up exceptionally well and although this ground is fast enough for him, he kept extending and is a real good horse. This is a really special day. This is the most important race to me, so it’s great to ride for the boss and Prince Khalid.” A proud Prince Khalid Abdullah added, “I am delighted and this was special. He is a wonderful horse and we saw that here.”
Aidan O’Brien was delighted with the effort of the shock runner-up and was forgiving of the run of the favorite Jan Vermeer (Montjeu), who never threatened and stayed on into a distant fourth. “Jan Vermeer lost both his front shoes, but the second horse stays really well,” Aidan O’Brien told PA Sport. “The winner looked exceptional.”
RACE RESULTS
| # | LBH | Horse | Age | Dr | Sex | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.00 | WORKFORCE (GB) | 3 | 8 | C | R Moore | Sir Michael Stoute |
| 2 | 7.00 | AT FIRST SIGHT (IRE) | 3 | 6 | C | J Heffernan | Aidan O’Brien |
| 3 | 0.50 | REWILDING (GB) | 3 | 11 | C | L Dettori | Mahmood Al Zarooni |
| 4 | 4.00 | JAN VERMEER (IRE) | 3 | 12 | C | J Murtagh | Aidan O’Brien |
| 5 | 0.00 | MIDAS TOUCH (GB) | 3 | 4 | C | C O’Donoghue | Aidan O’Brien |
| 6 | 0.50 | AL ZIR (USA) | 3 | 2 | C | K Fallon | Saeed bin Suroor |
| 7 | 0.00 | COORDINATED CUT (IRE) | 3 | 9 | C | J Spencer | Michael Bell |
| 8 | 3.75 | BUZZWORD (GB) | 3 | 10 | C | A Ajtebi | Mahmood Al Zarooni |
| 9 | 1.75 | HOT PROSPECT (GB) | 3 | 3 | C | P Robinson | Michael Jarvis |
| 10 | 16.00 | AZMEEL (GB) | 3 | 5 | C | W Buick | John Gosden |
| 11 | 1.75 | TED SPREAD (GB) | 3 | 7 | C | M Hills | Mark Tompkins |
| 12 | 2.00 | BULLET TRAIN (GB) | 3 | 1 | C | T Queally | Henry Cecil |
Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News
