RACING:SINCE POUR Moi carried the first colours of Coolmore Stud's John Magnier there was a not insubstantial Irish input into Saturday's dramatic Derby victory. But there was also no denying the overwhelming Gallic flavour coursing around Epsom after a first French success in racing's blue-riband in 35 years.
That carried on to home turf at Chantilly yesterday when the outsider, Reliable Man, led home a French clean-sweep of the Prix Du Jockey Club under jockey Gerald Mosse. Aidan O’Brien’s Irish Guineas winner Roderic O’Connor finished only eighth.
Less than 24 hours earlier, France’s perennial champion trainer Andre Fabre greeted a long-awaited Epsom win with an understatement that could hardly have contrasted more with his 19-year-old jockey Mickael Barzalona’s exuberance.
It may not have been quite the winning picture that millions backing Queen Elizabeth’s favourite Carlton House had hoped for, and Kieren Fallon’s ability to be the focal point of bad publicity once again reared its head as he was ruled out of riding in the race by a Court Of Appeal decision that morning, but Barzalona provided the lasting image of Derby 2011 with wild celebrations that began a couple of strides before the line.
Since only a head separated Pour Moi from Aidan O’Brien’s outsider Treasure Beach, with Carlton House only third, Barzalona’s antics were enough for the stewards to give him a one-day suspension, with Fabre also promising to “have a word” with his jockey.
Fabre’s words can be famously strict but it was his belief that Pour Moi was his best ever shot at an Epsom Derby victory that had Barzalona donning Magnier’s first colours while Pat Smullen, substituting for Fallon, carried the pink second silks into sixth.
Visually it was a stunning success with Pour Moi racing from last to first in the straight to overhaul the 25 to 1 Treasure Beach just as Colm O’Donoghue looked to have somehow got the Chester Vase winner home in front.
But if Barzalona’s delight was the main picture-opportunity, Ryan Moore’s reaction to Carlton House’s defeat was a more sombre alternative. After a slow start, the royal runner was always further back than ideal and was then pushed wide around Tattenham Corner. Moore had the look of a man aching to ride the race again but Pour Moi followed much the same course, just from even further back. Nevertheless, the official handicappers yesterday were hardly rating Pour Moi’s performance as exceptional.
“I need to speak to a colleague but my tentative rating for the winner is 122, which is the lowest for a Derby winner since Sir Percy. We rated him 121. Workforce was 128 after winning last year,” BHA handicapper Phil Smith said yesterday.
“I’ve given Carlton House a rating of 120 but I do think both he and the winner could be capable of getting to the high 120s.”
Fabre indicated Pour Moi will have a mid-summer break and enjoy a classic French preparation for October’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Since French racing’s “Little Napoleon” has a record seven Arc wins already, and he has already favourably compared Pour Moi to the 1997 winner Peintre Celebre, the colt is as low as 3 to 1 to emulate Workforce last year with a Derby-Arc double.
Pour Moi’s Prix Greffulhe-winning form got a boost in yesterday’s French Derby when Bubble Chic, the colt that chased him home in his Epsom trial, found only the unbeaten Reliable Man too good for him.
After Godolphin’s Casamento cut out the early pace, closely followed by Roderic O’Connor, the raiders dropped away tamely as Reliable Man, having just his third start, pounced late on Bubble Chic to win cosily.
Back in third was Baraan who missed the break and was detached from the field for much of the race until running on well in the closing stages.
Aidan O’Brien’s initial reaction was that the trip may have been too far for Roderic O’Connor and he said: “It’s possible he didn’t stay, definitely possible, without saying for sure. It’s a hard race to work out at the moment but he did get very warm too.”
