The 2011 Epsom Derby will be remembered as that the race that the Queen's horse, Carlton House, lost rather than the race that Pour Moi won.
The winner, Pour Moi, trained by Andre Fabre and ridden by the youthful Mickael Barzalona crossed the line just a head in front of Aidan O'Brien's Treasure Beach, partnered by Colm O'Donoghue. Pour Moi might have made it by a whole neck or more if his over excitable jockey had actually ridden him over the line rather than crossed it whilst standing bolt upright in his stirrups and indulging in a distinctly premature victory salute. A number of racing commentators noticed that he was even pulling on the reins at the time which means that he was actually applying the brakes before crossing the finishing line. Imagine what would happen if Lewis Hamilton were seen to be putting the handbrake on in the final few yards of a Grand Prix.
The finish was so close that it went to a photo. If Pour Moi had lost Mickael Barzalona might have learned the lesson of a lifetime and attracted the attention of the stewards. Plenty of punters would have wanted to string him up too. Pour Moi started the second favourite at 4/1 with the bookies. Treasure Beach was a 25/1 shot in the Epsom Derby Betting.
Apart from the arrogant antics at the line, Barzalona didn't do too bad a job of piloting Pour Moi. He was relaxed about the early pace and content to hold the Montjeu colt up and track the field. When Pour Moi hung left over 1 furlong out, he switched right and extracted a spectacular sustained blast of speed within the final furlong. As half the British nation's attention was focused on the Queen's colours, willing Carlton House to get the better of his duel with Treasure Beach, Pour Moi suddenly surged alongside them and pipped them both at the post.
O'Donoghue employed very different tactics aboard Treasure Beach and was relatively close to the pace throughout. He urged his mount into second place within the last four furlongs. For a few seconds the long time leader, another Aidan O'Brien trained horse, Memphis Tennessee, partnered by the trainer's son looked as if he might just be able to hang on but Treasure Beach headed him within the final furlong. Treasure Beach looked, until the last 200 yards, the likely winner but then the shadow of the darkest Magnier, Tabor and Smith colours appeared out of nowhere to snatch victory on the line.
Carlton House, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, could only finish third, three quarters of a length behind Treasure Beach. Jockey Ryan Moore held Carlton House up towards the rear of the field. He was in eighth place entering the straight. Moore urged him forwards to chase the leading pair over two furlongs out. By the final furlong only Treasure Beach was in front of him but he seemed to lack the finishing speed to get past him, unlike Pour Moi.
Memphis Tennessee, who started the race at 20/1, finished three quarters of a length behind Carlton House in fourth. The more fancied Ed Dunlop trained Native Khan, who started at 8/1 under Johnny Murtagh was fifth with Recital and Pat Smullen, yet another Aidan O'Brien horse, two lengths behind him in sixth.
There was so much attention focused on the Queen's Derby hopes being dashed, very little was said about the fact that four of the first six horses (notably the first two) were owned by the less well bred but ridiculously wealthy Mrs Magnier, Mr Tabor and Mr Smith. Forget where they were trained and by whom they were ridden. It was a triumph for the filthy rich plebs who scooped over a million in prize money whilst the poor old Queen (well, she's definitely old) received a measly £134K to put towards her horse training fees.
Carlton House was the firm ante post favourite. He probably reached that position purely because of his connections and the propensity for patriotism that regularly transcends any rational thought when a large proportion of the British public decide to have a bet. What other reason could there be for him starting as the firm 5/2 favourite when his most recent form, a win in the Dante at York was in a race that his usually taciturn jockey, Ryan Moore, memorably described as a mess?
Carlton House also suffered a training setback that was extensively reported in the build up to the race. At one stage it was very possible that he wouldn't even make it to the racecourse on Derby day. That did extend his price a little but not nearly enough to make him attractive to anyone who was looking for reasonable value. Daily health reports filled countless column inches of newsprint as the racing journalists fed the seemingly insatiable appetite for news of the Queen's best Derby hope in years. It was enough to put you off backing the colt with free bets, let alone your own money .
There was no shortage of excuses after the race. Yes, he lost a front shoe in the finishing straight and a horse puts over 60% of its weight on the front legs at any given time so that definitely would not have helped his cause. Yes, he was slightly hampered five furlongs out. Three weeks later in the Irish Derby and he once again started as the favourite at 5/4. He could only finish fourth. The race was won by the second favourite, Treasure Beach with Seville and Memphis Tennessee finishing second and third respectively.
His owner may have breeding that cannot be questioned (unless you look back at it thoroughly) but Carlton House certainly did not when it came to running a mile and a half. That impressive victory at York in the ' messy race' was over a mere 10 furlongs. Carlton House's sire, the Irish bred Street Cry, never ran over a distance further than 10 furlongs. There was never any guarantee that his progeny would be suited to the longer Derby distance of a mile and a half. His most famous offspring, Zenyatta and Street Sense were never asked to go further than 10 furlongs either. The Queen' s horse was certainly too short in the betting.
The winner, Pour Moi, always had better breeding for the Epsom Derby. His sire, Montjeu, was proven over a mile and a half. He had already produced a Derby winner in the shape of Motivator too. Treasure Beach also had slightly more stamina in his pedigree as a son of Galileo. The British public presumably preferred to overlook the breeding of the horses in favour of the breeding of the owners in the 2011 Epsom Derby.