Tribalist© Photo Healy Racing
Mickael Barzalona excelled in the saddle, as he made all aboard the Andre Fabre-trained Tribalist to cause a shock in the Prix du Moulin at ParisLongchamp.
The race was billed as an all-star clash between Charlie Appleby’s 2000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes hero Notable Speech and Roger Varian’s Charyn, who has become one of the leading players at the distance this term.
Aidan O’Brien’s Henry Longfellow was also among the fancied runners, but none of the big guns could land a telling blow as the five-year-old gave Fabre a record-extending eighth victory in the Group One event.
Taking the initiative when leaving the stalls sprightly, Barzalona immediately sent Tribalist – like Notable Speech owned by Godolphin – forward and kept putting the pressure on his rivals throughout the one-mile contest, building up a notable advantage entering the second half of the contest.
With 500 metres to run distress signals were beginning to be shown by those in behind and although Charyn responded gamely to Silvestre de Sousa’s urgings to run on for second, he ran out of turf in his pursuit of the pillar-to-post scorer, who came home with a length and a quarter in hand.
Henry Longfellow was a little further back in third, with Notable Speech only fifth home of the seven.
Fabre told Sky Sports Racing: “It was a fantastic front-running performance, but it was down to Tribalist not the trainer.
“He is just good. Mickael couldn’t do anything else (but what he did), the others let him go.”
When asked if the victory means Tribalist will head to the Prix de la Foret next, Fabre added: “For sure, there is no other option. He could then go to the Breeders’ Cup.”
Varian admitted it was frustrating to see Charyn come so close to bridging the gap to Tribalist in the closing stages, narrowly missing out on becoming the first horse to win the Queen Anne Stakes, Prix Jacques le Marois and Moulin all in the same season.
He remains Paddy Power’s 5-2 favourite for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Qipco British Champions Day and Varian confirmed the son of Dark Angel will return to the scene of his Royal Ascot triumph seeking to finish the season on a high.
“It was a frustrating watch to be honest, but he has run a great race and when you finish second you have to tip your hat to the winner,” said Varian.
“I think hindsight yes (he got a bit far back). They spotted the winner six or seven lengths turning for home which is very hard to do on this ground.
“Watching the race again, the race developed that way, it wasn’t that way in the first furlong and I think it is the wrong thing to jump on the jockey’s back. The race stretched out from halfway, but he has come out of the pack and almost closed the winner down.
“He has run a tremendous race, I don’t think we can be disappointed at all with his performance. Losing a shoe was probably not ideal, but I think on this ground he is probably not even aware he lost a shoe.
“For me it is not an excuse, it’s just frustrating because I think he has run enormous and I think he ran well enough to win the race but didn’t quite. It’s frustrating, but we congratulate the winner and move on.”
Varian added: “We would love to go to Ascot for the QEII, that has always been his autumn goal and it’s six weeks away so plenty of time. As long as he is sound and healthy there is no reason why he won’t go there.”
