Workforce wins the Arc Epsom Derby hero Workforce bounced back to form and gave trainer Sir Michael Stoute his first success in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp. The King's Best colt travelled strongly throughout in the hands of champion jockey Ryan Moore but was still nearer last than first on the turn for home. However, he showed an excellent turn of foot given the testing conditions to hit the front approaching the final furlong and dug deep in the closing stages to repel the sustained challenge of Nakayama Festa. Sarafina was third. Workforce was a brilliant winner at Epsom, where he broke the course record, but his Arc participation remained undecided until Thursday following his dismal performance in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on his previous start. Japanese raider Nakayama Festa ran a fantastic race, pushing the winner all the way to the line but just losing out following a stirring battle. Sarafina was the one that finished best of all in third but the race was already over and she had to make do with minor honours. Stoute said: "He was a big disappointment in the King George. It's been a real team effort (to get him back) and I'm not just saying that as a cliche. "The jockey gave him some ride." Stoute added: "If you have any ambition when you start training, you want to win the Arc. "We have had a lot of horses running particularly well in it without doing it, so I'm thrilled, especially as he was so impressive on Derby day and the King George performance was inexplicable. "Ryan felt he should have just switched him off more and I think I may have trained him too hard for the race. I said that to Prince Khalid (Abdullah, owner) afterwards so I think I was proved right on that. "I don't know if I'm likely (to train him as a four-year-old) but I'd love to. "It was a great ride." Moore was pleased to put his King George nightmare behind him and right the record books. "He was back to his best best today," he said. "He got a nice run through, it got a bit tight at the top of the false straight but there was half a gap there and he was very brave and really quickened into it well. "The Japanese horse kept at him but he has a great attitude and Ascot wasn't him." Youmzain had finished runner-up in the last three renewals of the race but never threatened to land a blow this time. His trainer Mick Channon said: "There were no real excuses, although he didn't have possy (position) and probably didn't travel as well as he normally does. "At one point I thought he'd struck into himself when Richard (Hughes) looked down. "I'm disappointed (with the result) but not with the horse, as he's given it everything in this race over the last four years. "We live to fight another day and we'll have to see what Jaber (Abdullah, owner) wants to do." Another British raider well beaten was John Gosden's Duncan and his rider William Buick said: "There are no real excuses, although turning into the straight the pacemakers stopped in front of me and that didn't help."
