Bienvenus Les Maestros

[Wandering Eyes]

 

When Saturday comes around, the extravaganza at Churchill Downs will be all the richer for the involvement of two of the Breeders’ Cup’s most revered colonists. Freddy Head, who remains the sole winner of a race both in the saddle and as a trainer, returns to the Mile in which he lords it over even the domestic handlers thanks to the unprecedented deeds of the triple heroine Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa). “Goldi” was a class act in Europe, but when she came to the Breeders’ Cup she took on another dimension and between 2008 and 2010 made the contest her own which led to her eventual induction into the Hall of Fame. In the finale of her triumvirate of successes, she dismissed Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat) at this venue before returning a year later to almost conjure a fourth before being just outrun into third. It was also at Churchill that Head completed the double in the Mile on the great Miesque in 1988, so this week will be familiar territory where he is concerned.

Fittingly, Head saddles another who sports the Wertheimer silks this time in Polydream (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}). She assumes the insignia of favouritism and also boasts the best form, having captured the 6 1/2-furlong G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville in August. Trapped hopelessly behind rivals during the G1 Prix de la Foret, a race which has often provided tricky traversing for its protagonists due to the geography of the seven-furlong passage at ParisLongchamp, she can safely be forgiven that blip. Although she is a bit shy of the standard the Classic-placed Goldikova brought here as a 3-year-old 10 years ago, there is a feeling that this has been the plan for some time and there are fewer better target trainers in the business. In fact, of the leading Breeders’ Cup trainers by purse won, he has the best strike-rate of all those in the top 30. He simply does not bring horses to this meeting without having genuine intent, as his record of having six of his eight runners in the first three reveals.

Whereas Head’s influence on Breeders’ Cup history stretches back almost to its inception as he steered the “brute” Miesque to her Mile triumphs, his “second life” as a trainer is still relatively in its formative stages compared to his great compatriot Andre Fabre. While Head was still maneuvering around the tight left-hand circuits of this movable feast, France’s unrivalled influencer of Thoroughbred capability was pulling off a training feat still to be matched by all of his European peers. In 1993, much to the wonder of onlookers, he sent the Wildenstein chestnut Arcangues (Sagace {Fr}) to win the Classic at such inflated odds that Santa Anita’s tote board could not cope. Despite the subsequent gallant efforts of the Euros, no other stable has managed to win this race on the dirt, but Fabre has always worn an air of a maverick nonpareil.

Fabre’s other Breeders’ Cup triumphs have fit more reliably into the expected, with In the Wings (GB), Shirocco (Ger), Banks Hill (GB) and Talismanic (GB) (Medaglia d’Oro) mostly predictable winners on the turf which has always favoured the raiders. The latter is back to defend the title he so ruthlessly wrested from Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) 12 months ago and he is joined by ‘TDN Rising Star’ Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who like the 2005 Turf hero Shirocco, represents the German breeding gold which Fabre has successfully prospected in recent times. Both participated in the Arc with differing impact, they have to yet again cope with the dominant force Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), but that interval between Europe’s pinnacle event and these festivities is a long time in the life of a horse under his tutelage.

Like In the Wings and Shirocco, Waldgeist was fourth in the Arc with the former like him having also won the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud during the season. Shirocco was helped by the heavy rain that came to Belmont in 2005 and this week’s Kentucky forecast is sure to play to Waldgeist’s strengths too. Talismanic, who was overshadowed by Waldgeist in ParisLongchamp’s G2 Prix Foy last month, had the sun on his back at Del Mar 12 months ago and it could be a different matter this time. Another success in the Turf would only further entrench Fabre into Breeders’ Cup folklore. He currently sits 10th in the list of the leading Breeders’ Cup trainers by purse won and behind only Aidan O’Brien of the Europeans and that is a position he will be keen not to let slip as he nears the end of his illustrious career.

French influence at the Breeders’ Cup goes way back, with Last Tycoon (Ire) and Miesque taking three of the first five renewals of the Mile and Lashkari (GB) the inaugural turf. That “Coup de foudre” was not just short-lived, with the country now boasting success in almost a third of the runnings of the Mile. France’s relationship with this meeting is characterised by an unflinching mutual attraction and it is only right that two of its finest horsemen are back with a triumvirate of equine talent to carry the tricolor in the chief grass races. Bestowed with the honour of being the latest Head and Fabre runners, they will be “Ventre à terre” for more glory under the Twin Spires come the hour.

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