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 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.”
Source : Sky Sports
