Camelot left trailing as Encke puts in stunning victory run

AS the unheralded Encke galloped past Doncaster’s subdued stands after a shock win in the Ladbrokes St Leger, a lone voice shouted out at winning jockey Mickael Barzalona: “Well done. Bravo.”

The voice must have travelled at least 50 yards, but the 21-year-old Frenchman heard every syllable with clarity. His reply – a very polite “thank you” – also carried across a stunned Town Moor as 32,000 racegoers tried to comprehend the magnitude of the upset.

The disappointment, with Camelot failing by a heartbreaking three-quarters-of-a-length, to land the fabled Triple Crown – Flat racing’s most historic benchmark of greatness – was comparable to Norton’s Coin beating Desert Orchid in the 1990 Gold Cup or Dick Hern’s Cut Above ruining the Shergar script in the 1981 St Leger.

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Perhaps the real hero of the hour was Nijinsky whose achievement in winning the 2000 Guineas, Epsom Derby and 
St Leger in 1970 under Lester Piggott looks even more remarkable when remembering that Camelot is the most superior three-year-old of 2012 by the proverbial country mile.

A deflating sense of anti-climax – with the greatest of respect to Godolphin boss Sheikh Mohammed who was winning a sixth St Leger – enveloped the winner’s enclosure that had been reconfigured in the shape of a horseshoe in anticipation of a Camelot victory procession.

Instead the waiting media had enveloped Aidan O’Brien and his inconsolable teenage son Joseph in the runner’s-up position, the most heartbreaking spot in all sport, while the victor returned to polite applause – not even the winner’s fanfare lifted spirits.

Barzalona quietly dismounted, his greatest scare having come just after the finishing post when the saddle slipped as he stood up in his irons in celebration, and Encke paced around the winner’s enclosure before being led – virtually anonymously – back to his stable. It was that low-key.

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Even as racing came to terms with this unexpected hangover yesterday, the form made little sense whatsoever.

Second at the St Leger meeting 12 months ago when ridden by Frankie Dettori, Encke showed modest form this year – winning two modest races – before finishing a close second to Noble Mission, a full brother to the world-beating Frankel – in Glorious Goodwood’s Gordon Stakes.

Encke then reappeared last month in York’s Great Voltigeur Stakes, the most prestigious of the St Leger trials, when he was well-beaten by Thought Worthy and Epsom Derby runner-up Main Sequence.

These are both durable, if unspectacular horses who could not live with the brilliant Camelot in the Derby. Both clearly had the measure of Encke at York – and Sheikh Mohammed did not even travel to Doncaster to watch his 25-1 chance, a first St Leger winner for trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni and a debut ride in the world’s oldest Classic for the aforementioned Barzalona.

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As the nine St Leger runners entered the paddock, the attention was all on Camelot who looked imperious in the preliminaries. He was trotted by O’Brien junior to the two furlong pole to escape the cacophony of noise.

Sitting carefully in the middle of the pack, there appeared to be no cause for concern for the Camelot camp as the field were taken along by Dartford, the sole pacemaker who was deployed by John Gosden to assist his more favoured pair of Thought Worthy and the eventual third Michelangelo, who was ridden by Godolphin’s No 1 rider Frankie Dettori – a further reflection of Encke’s chances.

As the select nine-strong field turned for home, Thought Worthy – always prominent – hit the front under William Buick, seeking a third successive 
St Leger win, but it was soon clear that the fast ground was not to his liking.

O’Brien, in contrast, looked ultra-confident – too cool indeed – on the odds-on favourite, though his position on the far running rail, in order to travel the shortest distance, would require some luck with gaps opening. It is a decision that will haunt the 19-year-old.

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On O’Brien’s outer was Encke who was beginning to respond to Barzalona’s urgings. There was a split-second when O’Brien could have made the same move, but Camelot then found himself boxed in by Encke and Dettori aboard the fast-finishing Michelangelo.

Flat-footed, and without the turbo-boost that had won the Guineas and Derby to set up a first Triple Crown bid since Nijinsky conquered Doncaster in 1970, the writing was on the wall entering the final furlong. Once the favourite was free from his position on the rail, the handful of lengths stolen by Barzalona were insurmountable.

Yet, while the Frenchman needs to perfect his victory celebration to avoid being dumped ingloriously on the turf, his charm was evident as he donned the cap that is presented to the winning St Leger jockey.

His interview, in English, was far more eloquent than the few broken words that accompanied his 2011 Epsom Derby win on Pour Moi when he had dashed the hopes of another crowd-pleaser – the Queen’s Carlton House.

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“I am very happy – the St Leger is a very good race in England and this is my second Classic now,” said Barzalona, who has endured a challenging first full season in England as he becomes accustomed to the track and the internal politics of the Godolphin racing operation that also involves Dettori and Silvestre de Sousa, the runner-up in last year’s title race.

“Encke is a very good horse – he improved after his last run. When I saw Camelot on my inside, I preferred to go right a little bit and try to run. My horse was very generous.

“I kicked and asked my horse to go and he answered very quickly. I won very nicely. (On Saturday) Encke was the best. I knew Camelot was behind on the inside and could see he had difficulty navigating.”

Speaking on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed, Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said: “We may be party poopers, but on this occasion we are happy to be party poopers.”

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Words that will not lift the hangover that enveloped Flat racing, Ballydoyle and 32,000 racegoers on Town Moor – the one exception being the solitary punter whose booming show of support to Mickael Barzalona pierced the shattered silence.

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