Farhh retires on top after Champion score

Jockey Silvestre de Sousa was quick to deflect any praise onto Farhh after

the five-year-old ran out the narrow winner of the Group 1 Champion Stakes at

Ascot on Saturday.

The Brazilian-born rider always had his mount handy and turned for home just

behind pacemaker and stablemate Hunter's Light, who was ridden by Mickael

Barzalona. The 11-4 second favorite hit the front two furlongs from home but had

to fight off a strong challenge from both 6-4 favorite Cirrus des Aigles and

Ruler of the World as they loomed up alongside him a furlong out. However, de

Sousa conjured up a final effort from Farhh, who stuck his head out well to deny

the French raider by a neck.

"Mickael did a good job getting to the front but my horse traveled like a

dream and the winner throughout the race," de Sousa said. "I was concerned that

he would get in front a bit too soon on that heavy ground but he is a marvelous

horse.

"It was some performance from him. I knew that the French horse would travel

behind me but the way that my horse traveled, something really good would have

to beat me. I didn't ask him for his effort until about two furlongs out as he

was traveling so well and, for me, most of his best form as been over a mile so

I wanted him to see the race out.

"He has been very well trained by Saeed (bin Suroor) as he's had plenty of

problems this season but we know he goes well fresh.

Another terrific performance by Cirrus fes Aigles saw him finish runner-up

for the second time. after winning the race in 2011.

"I had a good ride and when we turned into the straight I thought we were

going to win," jockey Christophe Soumillion said. "I knew Farhh was the horse to

beat so I tried to follow him, but unfortunately when I got to him he found

more. The trainer thought that if I had got going earlier it might have been

better, but in the last 100 yards you could see the winner kept going quite

easily."

"Because of the draw he had to stay behind in the group, and with a better

draw he could have gone when Farhh went," trainer Corine Barande-Barbe said.

"When a horse like Farhh goes, and gets ahead of you, you cannot catch him.

"You can see our horse is not too tired and he ran a great race. Any horse

that can run in this race three times in a row is very special. He beat a lot of

good horses today and all the doubts people had about him earlier in the year

are forgotten. Maybe we'll win next year. He's a gelding, so if he's happy he'll

stay in training, if he's not he won't.

"He might go to Hong Kong, but I have to speak to the owner."

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of third-placed Ruler of the World, said: "Ryan

(Moore) was drawn wide and felt that from there he couldn't really get into the

race, but he was delighted with the run.

"That's it for this season -- he's going to bed, but will be something to

look forward to next year."

The five-year-old Farhh will now retire to Sheikh Mohammed's Dalham Hall Stud

in Newmarket.

"This horse is a great fighter. He had a break after winning the Lockinge

Stakes and he has been a miler in the past but a mile and a quarter was great

for him today on that ground," trainer Saeed bin Suroor said. "He was the best

horse in the race today. I am very proud of him and this is good for Godolphin."

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