Workforce to face eight on return Workforce, Sir Michael Stoute's Derby and Arc hero, will face eight rivals as he makes his seasonal reappearance in the Piper Heidsieck Champagne Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown on Thursday. Connections shelved plans to run him in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the weekend in the hope of giving the colt an easier introduction. But with his Group One penalty to carry, he will be giving 7lb to all of his rivals. They include Luca Cumani's Afsare, a Royal Ascot winner last year of whom big things are expected later this season. Aidan O'Brien, who has carried all before him in recent weeks, sends over Jan Vermeer, who was sent off the 9-4 favourite for the Derby but finished fourth. The John Dunlop-trained Elusive Pimpernel ran respectably on his return in the Earl of Sefton at Newmarket on his first run since last year's 2000 Guineas and is also entered. Tom Tate's Distant Memories is a consistent performer at this level, while last year's Eclipse runner-up Sri Putra rarely runs a bad race. Godolphin's representative is Cavalryman, while Clive Cox saddled Poet and Black Spirit.
