Queen’s Derby dream in tatters as French fancy steals the show

Showing youthful impetuosity as he became the youngest winning rider of the great race since Walter Swinburn prevailed on the tragically ill-fated Shergar 30 years ago, Royal hopes were dashed when the dashing Barzalona stood up in his irons – raising his arm in triumph – as he surged past Her Majesty’s gallant Carlton House.

That his premature celebration nearly backfired – the 19-year-old’s horse only went on to beat runner-up Treasure Beach by a nose – only confirmed the rider’s reputation as the next Frankie Dettori.

Horse racing needs its showmen and Barzalona’s exuberance should not detract from his horsemanship. As Willie Carson, the BBC pundit, observed: “He’s only a young boy but he rides like a 40-year-old man.”

In equine terms, Pour Moi is a potential superstar now bound for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Europe’s richest race, after landing France’s first Derby winner since 1976 and also breaking Andre Fabre’s personal duck in the Investec Derby.

Despite official handicapper Phil Smith intending to give Pour Moi the lowest rating for a Derby winner since Sir Percy in 2006, this was a mesmerizing victory.

Pour Moi’s late acceleration was comparable to Dancing Brave’s surge to the line 25 years ago. While Guy Harwood’s horse narrowly failed to overhaul Shahrastani, he confirmed his greatness by winning the Arc.

With this astonishing late speed, Longchamp in early October appears tailor-made for the Derby victor to confirm his greatness – the only regret is that an eyewatering clash with Henry Cecil’s imperious Frankel at York’s Ebor meeting appears unlikely.

This was a dramatic race before the start after the Court of Appeal banned Kieren Fallon from riding Aidan O’Brien’s Recital after hearing that the former champion had reneged on a signed contract that committed him to riding Native Khan, the eventual fifth.

With late substitute Pat Smullen riding Recital, this was a curious race – the main contenders at the back of the field as O’Brien’s Memphis Tennessee set the pace.

However, the complexion of the race changed at Tattenham Corner. As the faltering outsiders Castlemorris King and Marhaba Malyoon dropped back, Frankie Dettori’s mount Ocean War was forced wide.

The consequence was Ryan Moore, on Carlton House, having to go even wider – costing the Royal colt vital ground and momentum.

Briefly, it appeared Moore had the measure of Memphis Tennessee who eventually finished fourth, and the unfancied Treasure Beach, but Carlton House then lost a shoe at the furlong marker to compound his ill-fortune. It did not matter, his race was over by now.

Having stalked Carlton House, the Dante winner, Barzalona timed his winning run to perfection as Pour Moi galloped from last to first.

A distraught Moore unsportingly blamed the “rubbish” in the race afterwards – a reference to the outsiders who hampered his mount.

Yet, even if Carlton House had enjoyed a more favourable draw and smooth run, the French raider would have outclassed the Royal runner – He, too, was hampered by the also-rans.

That said, one of the major middle-distance races is still within the scope of the Queen’s horse who was beaten by the winner by less than a length – a shorter distance than when Her Majesty’s Aureole was denied by Pinza in Coronation year.

“He’s run very well, but things just haven’t gone right,” said trainer Sir Michael Stoute. “He’s still a high-class colt and he will have a big day.”

Like the Queen, this was the winning trainer’s 10th attempt to win Flat racing’s most decorated contest. “Finally!” said an ecstatic Fabre, one of the enduring training giants of European racing.

“I think the bad luck we’ve had here before has been more because the horses were not good enough. What surprised me is he had two accelerations – one to catch up and then he hit another gear. This was the sign of a champion. It was a pleasure that Mickael is a home-made jockey... I had complete confidence in him.”

Asked about beating the Queen, Fabre added: “It is a race between horses, not between people, otherwise I would have finished far behind Her Majesty.”

Fabre went on: “The plan is to give him a summer break and then go for the Arc. We will miss the King George as I consider it too serious a race for a young horse.”

Barzalona has been carefully groomed for stardom by Fabre and, more recently, as Godolpin’s second-choice jockey behind Dettori. While Swinburn was a passenger on the great Shergar 30 years ago, the young Frenchman was producing the ride of his life in only his fourth race on Epsom’s unique undulations.

Not even a one-day ban for overuse of the whip, and a warning from the stewards for his celebrations, could wipe the smile from Barzalona’s face. Speaking through his translator, he said: “I always felt confident, and even though I was at the back the other good horses were just in front of me. For a while I thought I would be fourth or fifth, but he just went on and on. It is fantastic and I don’t realise what has happened.”

No mercy was shown to the Queen by Pour Moi’s owners, the Coolmore triumvirate of Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and John Magnier who hosted Her Majesty when she visited their Coolmore stud during last month’s historic Royal visit to Ireland.

“We wanted to win, obviously, it goes without saying – but one thing is for sure and that is if we hadn’t, we wanted the Queen’s horse to win,” said Tabor, who has Treasure Beach under his command too. “Unfortunately we can’t change the result. It was sensational. If you watch it again, Pour Moi was cantering all over the field. I don’t know the other horses in the race but he looked something special to me.”

Magnier added: “Andre was always confident. All through the last few weeks he has been telling us how good he was and how he was going to be ridden. I wish that someone else owned the third, but that’s horse racing.”