Simenon racing at York in 2013© Photo Healy Racing
Vent De Force gave his Gold Cup claims a major boost with an all-the-way success in the Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Trusts Henry II Stakes at Sandown last night.
The race also saw the comeback run of Willie Mullins' Simenon. The Wicklow Bloodstock owned eight year old was weak in the market (7/2 morning to 7/1 SP) but showed up well under Ryan Moore for much of the contest before fading in the closing stages to finish fifth of the seven runners beaten just over three lengths.
Vent De Force, held in high regard by Hughie Morrison, benefitted from a change of tactics which saw the four-year-old receive a perfectly-executed ride from the front by Richard Hughes, asserting a furlong and a half out after Forever Now and then Simenon had challenged.
The latter ran a particularly eyecatching race on his return from a long absence, but nothing got within real striking distance of the impressive winner, with Trip To Paris coming out best of the rest a length and three-quarters in arrears of the 6-4 favourite.
Morrison said: "Richard took the view that he didn't want it to turn into a dawdle, and he did it the hard way from the front.
"That proves he can come from behind or go from the front and you can ride him where you like, which is excellent.
"Hopefully that will put him spot on for Ascot and that's where he'll go, providing he doesn't have any blips in the next few weeks.
"You never know if they'll stay two and a half miles in a truly-run race, and you only find out when they run in the Gold Cup.
"But he's got a rounded shaped belly that makes him look fat, we had one a few years ago like that and what they can do is fill their lungs up and go again about three-quarters of a mile out."
Ed Dunlop was pleased with the effort of Chester Cup winner Trip To Paris.
He said: "I'm as delighted as much I can be with coming second, it was his first run in Pattern company but he proved he was up to it.
"He's not in the Gold Cup and we would have to supplement him, but it's under consideration. He's goes on fast ground and it looks it will probably be like that at Ascot, but the main thing is we learned he can run in Pattern company.
"I thought Richard Hughes gave the winner a fantastic ride."
Coral and Paddy Power gave a unanimous verdict of 8-1 about the winner for the Gold Cup.
