Prolific Moulin winner has Prix de la Foret and Breeders’ Cup targets.
Andre Fabre has thought all along that Tribalist was the good sort, and so it proved last week when the five-year-old gelding scored a first major win by taking the Prix du Moulin. Well down the list of ante-post runners in a field full of big names, many thought that Tribalist might not be able to trouble the winners, but Andre Fabre is no stranger to surprise finishes, and, while admitting to being far from impressed with his charge at the start, the trainer was not entirely surprised to see Tribalist fight his way through, leaving others behind in his wake, including Charyn, Henry Longfellow, and Notable Speech. Under the skilled jockey Mickael Barzalona's guidance, Tribalist broke away to an early lead and went on to win by a length and a half.
While hailing the ride that Barzalona gave the horse, Fabre was quick to state that form and previous wins had earned the tribalist much more respect than he received before the race. "I wasn't surprised at all that he won," said Fabre, smiling brightly. "I was surprised how many people were surprised! He had very good form, had won five other group races, and always won them in style." The words of Fabre said much of his total confidence in Tribalist, a horse he has carefully nursed throughout its career.
🇫🇷😲 Shock in the Prix du Moulin!
Tribalist (25/1) strikes from the front at ParisLongchamp, landing the Group 1 feature under Mickael Barzalona.
🥈 In similar style to his Lockinge defeat, Charyn picked up best from those in the chasing pack…pic.twitter.com/ocJSQgE61Q
— Sporting Life Racing (@SportingLife) September 8, 2024
The win in the Prix du Moulin wasn't a fluke. It is when race tactics disagree with his natural running style that this fella tends to falter," Fabre said. Indeed, the only times Tribalist did all season were in the two races where he was tested after being restrained early, including both his losses, one in Hong Kong and the other in Deauville. "The only times he's been beaten lately are when we have switched the tactics and put him in," Fabre said, reflecting on past challenges that were born of experiments in racing tactics.
The trainer also liked to remind sceptics that last year, Tribalist would defeat Facteur Cheval at Saint-Cloud, a result that served only to further underpin his quality. In the Prix du Moulin, Barzalona's strategy of breaking on the front was decisive. The jockey took the opportunity that few would have seen, Fabre believed. "It was a great ride by Mickael," Fabre said. "You cannot give a horse as good as him such a big lead, but it is quite unusual in French races to see that sort of pace," the trainer said. "He showed very high endurance, which was impressive. To combine those two qualities leaves me pretty optimistic for what's ahead."
After winning the Prix du Moulin, Fabre is already looking to the future. Tribalist will target Prix de la Foret, a seven-furlong event Fabre feels fits the horse to a T. "Seven furlongs should not be a problem," he commented with all the air of confidence while speaking about Tribalist's prospects. The trainer still has his focus nicely honed but isn't ruling out more ambitious plans. A Breeders' Cup trip later in the year might help, but Fabre has his word to have a word with Sheikh Mohammed, the tribalist's owner, before making the final call.
Indeed, Tribalist is a testimony to perseverance as well as skilful management and belief above all. He never lost his trust in the horse when all others dismissed him as not fit to be there. Today, with Tribalist on the way up, Fabre's satisfied. "He's proven his worth; he's racing well in all these group races," said Fabre, reflecting on the trainer's pride for the animal and to see him on against the best in the world. The campaign for Tribalist continues with its quiet confidence in his horse—now well rewarded—and the racing world now wakes up. Whether at the Prix de la Foret or perhaps the Breeders' Cup, this is set for more of the same momentum, with Fabre at the helm, guiding him to even greater success.
