Quest For More Rallies From Last in Cadran

Jockey George Baker brought Quest For More from last to win the Qatar Prix du Cadran (Fr-I), the main event to start Arc Weekend Oct. 1 at Chantilly.

Patiently ridden while last year's winner Mille et Mille set the early tempo, Quest For More was ready to roll when Baker gave the cue at over a quarter mile out and unleashed a brilliant turn of foot to best favorite Vazirabad by a short neck.

Vazirabad, winner of last year's Prix Royal-Oak (Fr-I, French St. Leger) appeared poised to get the victory when he collared recent Darley Prix Kergorlay (Fr-II) winner Nearly Caught in the late stages, but Quest For More denied him at the finish line. 

In posting his first triumph at the highest level for trainer Roger Charlton, Quest For More covered 4,100 meters (about 2 9/16 miles) in 4:53.57 on turf rated as good.

Quest For More, a 6-year-old Teofilo gelding owned by Sultan Ahmad Shah, captured the 2 1/16-mile Weatherbsy Hamilton Lonsdale Cup (Eng-II) Aug. 19 at York this August, and then came tantalizingly close to taking the 2 1/4-mile Doncaster Cup (Eng-II) when Sheikhzayedroad bested him by a nose Sept. 9.

"He's a special horse but didn't travel with his normal fluency today," Baker who landed his first group I win aboard Harbour Law in the St. Leger last month at Doncaster, told England's Press Association. "I just let him find his feet and I knew he'd stay well; he's a model of consistency."

Quest For More, who has an 8-6-4 record from 26 starts, was bred in Ireland by Epona Bloodstock from the Rainbow Quest mare No Quest. Charles Gordon-Watson Bloodstock secured him for 58,000 guineas ($94,870) at the 2011 Tattersalls October yearling sale from agent Croom House Stud. His dam, a half sister to French Two Thousand Guineas (Fr-I) winner No Pass No Sale (Northfields), also produced U.S. grade III winner Macaw (Bluebird), who was twice grade I-placed.