- Roger Varian was disappointed as Charyn missed out on glory at Longchamp
- 25-1 outsider Tribalist secured victory instead in the Group One Prix du Moulin
Roger Varian was left deeply frustrated as his stable star Charyn’s attempt to make history ended in agonising failure.
On a weekend of shocks, 25-1 outsider Tribalist pilfered the Group One Prix du Moulin thanks to a brilliant front-running ride from Mickael Barzalona at Longchamp on Sunday.
Charyn, the season’s outstanding miler, had been odds-on to become the first horse to supplement victories in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and Deauville’s Prix Jacques le Marois with victory in the Moulin.
But Barzalona bounced Tribalist out in front, engineered himself an uncontested advantage and kept winding up the pace, leaving Charyn with an impossible task to peg him back. His jockey Silvestre de Sousa was visibly frustrated as he crossed the line.
Notable Speech, the 2,000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes winner from whom big things had been expected by trainer Charlie Appleby, floundered in squashy ground, while Aidan O’Brien’s Henry Longfellow plugged on for third. But nobody was more exasperated than Varian.
Roger Varian was frustrated as Charyn’s attempt to make history ended in agonising failure
Charyn had been odds-on to secure glory but ended up missing out, with Tribalist prevailing
25-1 outsider Tribalist became master trainer Andre Fabre’s eighth winner of the Moulin
‘It was a frustrating watch,’ he said. ‘He’s run a great race and when you finish second, you have to tip your hat to the winner. In hindsight, we were a bit far back. The winner was six or seven lengths in front and it’s very hard to get that back on that ground.
‘It’s wrong to jump on the jockey’s back. He’s come out of the pack and tried to close him down. He ran well enough to win.’
Tribalist became master trainer Andre Fabre’s eighth winner of the Moulin and he said: ‘He’s good, isn’t he? He will go to the Prix de la Foret and then on to the Breeders’ Cup Mile.’
