RACE REVIEW - Sept 4th 2005

Christophe Lemaire gave the powerful five-year-old an intelligent ride in the Netjets-sponsored race. Immediately realising that the race could become farcically slow-paced, he took Starcraft to the head of affairs and there the pair remained until the end of the mile.

Injecting pace early in the straight, Lemaire soon had the others struggling in his wake and the Paul Makin-owned Starcraft won by two and a half lengths from the fast-finishing Gorella who just got the better of Majors Cast in the last 50 yards.

Christophe Soumillon gave the odds-on favourite Valixir every chance but he lacked his normal sparkle and ended up fifth, just behind his his old rival Whipper.

The winner's time of 1 minute 36.1 secs was the third ever fastest for the Moulin de Longchamp and the son of Soviet Star was bringing his career record to 10 wins from 20 races.

Cumani said: "I'm a bit of a slow learner as I've had Starcraft since February but it's taken time to get to know the horse.

"He had no choice but to make the running and we let him express himself. The horse has a lovely powerful stride and was very impressive. I knew he had it in him to win the Moulin.

"We will now be looking at the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and also the Champion Stakes and the Breeders Cup. Today he did it beautifully and it's a great credit to all the team who have helped with his paddock schooling. I was always confident in his ability."

Lemaire had been associated with another brilliant miler this season in the shape of Divine Proportions and said: "Mr Cumani let me decide how to ride Starcraft in the race.

"He relaxed well after the start, was always running and breathing well. He is an incredibly powerful and an impressive individual to ride. They don'tcome much tougher than him."

As usual Gorella arrived late on the scene and the filly ran well up to expectations. Trainer Jean de Roualle said: "I was very very happy with the filly and she must now be the best of her generation in Europe over amile.

"We must see how she recovers after this race and her career is now likely to continue in America where we could go to Keeneland for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, the Matriarch Stakes or the Breeders Cup."

Darryll Holland conjured a great run out of the Jeremy Noseda-trained Majors Cast: "He has now proved himself in Group 1 company and with the best and the trainer has done a great job in stepping him up all the time. If there'd been a stronger pace we might have finished second."

Noseda added: "We have no complaints and I'm absolutely delighted with his race although we could have done with a stronger pace. He will now take his chance in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket."

Whipper raced just behind the leaders but could not quicken in his normal way. Trainer Robert Collet said: "The ground might have just been a little too fast for him today. We're now going for the Breeders Cup Mile."

Valixir's owner The Aga Khan said: "He had a harder race at Deauville than we thought. He was finishing better than anybody and we now need to think about his future."

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