Workforce to put big shift in at Sandown

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained colt enjoyed a superb year in 2010, producing a scarcely believable performance in the Epsom Derby before defeating Europe's best in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.

The four-year-old got the job done without being flashy in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes over this weekend's course and distance on his seasonal return, although conditions are set to be a degree livelier today.

Critics have doubted whether Workforce will be able to show his best over ten furlongs on a fast surface, while the form of Stoute's stable has also been questioned.

But Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah, is unfazed by those potential stumbling blocks ahead of one of the most prestigious middle-distance prizes of the season.

"Everyone seems pleased with the horse," said Grimthorpe. "He's actually only run over ten furlongs once before the Brigadier Gerard, and that was in the Dante Stakes at York. I wouldn't be too concerned as he's by King's Best and he won over seven furlongs as a two-year-old.

"Ryan (Moore] is in good form at the moment. Group One races are always very difficult to win and there are a lot of talented horses in the race. It's going to be interesting."

Moore is surely the key player in today's race, having had previous experience of riding Workforce, So You Think and multiple Group One-winning mare Snow Fairy. "Workforce is in very good shape but obviously it's going to be a difficult race," said Moore, who warmed up to his task with a treble at Sandown yesterday. "There's three very good horses in it but hopefully he's moved forward from his first run and it will be a very good race."

So You Think was considered a superstar when racing in Australia, and two effortless victories on his first couple of starts for Aidan O'Brien suggested we could expect similar dominance on the European scene.

But the colt suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Rewilding in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and, for many, he now has something to prove.

Seamie Heffernan guided the five-year-old to his first victory on Irish soil in the Mooresbridge Stakes and will be back on board this weekend in the absence of Moore. "I'm really looking forward to getting the leg-up on him again in what is a very good race," said Heffernan yesterday. "I just don't think things went right for him at Ascot and I'm hoping things go a bit smoother tomorrow.

"We think the run at Ascot will have brought him on. He hasn't really done enough at home since then to tell us whether he's improved or not, but we hope he will have done.

"He's an absolutely gorgeous horse. I wouldn't have any worries about the ground. Good horses like him normally handle any conditions."

Snow Fairy was rerouted to the Eclipse after Ed Dunlop withdrew her from last weekend's Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh due to the testing conditions.

Dunlop has no concerns on that score this weekend, although he acknowledges his star mare has plenty on her plate.

"There has been much speculation as to which of the colts will come out on top, but Snow Fairy had a blow-out on Thursday morning and, having scoped well afterwards, we saw no reason why we should not take them on," the Newmarket trainer explained.

Roger Varian's Sri Putra was beaten just half a length by Twice Over in this race 12 months ago, but Varian is hopeful that the conditions and pace will suit him.