Surfrider

Surfrider did remarkably well to come from the back to finish third behind Dream Ahead and Goldikova in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp on Sunday on his first run since he disappointed in the French 2000 Guineas in the spring. He raced in sixth, following Dream Ahead through on the outside, and he travelled smoothly into the race, he was actually on the bridle for longer than the winner. Goldikova kicked on coming to the final furlong and Dream Ahead immediately went after her, and initially Surfrider picked up quite well too, quickening up nicely past the three-time Group 2-winner and Group 1-placed Worthadd, but he just couldn’t get to the front two as they went at it from some way out. He finished six lengths behind them in third, but comfortably ahead of the rest. The multiple Group 3-winner Bewitched was behind him in fourth with Worthadd back in fifth.

Eric Libaud obviously thought enough of Surfrider to pitch him into this race on his comeback, his first run for four and a half months. He had shaped like a talented individual before the French Guineas, typically for a French horse he had a light two-year-old campaign with just two starts before a comeback this year in a conditions event, and then winning a Group 3 race at Maisons-Laffitte from Havane Smoker, who managed to reverse the form in the Guineas when finishing second to Tin Horse. Whatever the reason was for his absence, Surfrider returned here in good form with a fine run. He started at 40/1 - the only horse who was a bigger price was Goldikova’s pacemaker Flash Dance - and he can go on from this. He is very much a horse Eric Libaud can look forward to next year now, as presumably he will be kept in training after this light campaign.

2nd October 2011

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