Al Riffa books ticket to the Arc with Group One strike in Germany

Joseph O’Brien’s charge relished first try at a mile and a half.

Al Riffa put himself firmly in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe picture when proving he stays a mile and a half with a dominant win in the Group One Westminster 134th Grosser Preis von Berlin.

Having chased home City Of Troy in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown last month, Joseph O’Brien’s four-year-old was trying this trip for the first time at Hoppegarten.

Dylan Browne McMonagle tracked the front-running Tunnes and Lips Prince in the early stages of the contest, but then loomed up alongside the former and asked his mount to kick on around two furlongs from home.

Al Riffa responded emphatically to that request and quickly put daylight between him and the rest of the field.

Despite only being pushed out with hands and heels in the closing stages, the four-year-old kept on strongly all the way through the finishing line and scored by five lengths from the staying-on Narrativo.

Charlie Appleby’s King Of Conquest was chasing a hat-trick following Listed-class wins at Goodwood and Newmarket but never threatened to trouble the judge and came home last of the seven runners.

O’Brien told Wettstar: “It’s been a wonderful day here today and Al Riffa put up a really good performance and we’re really proud of him. Dylan gave the horse a fantastic ride and we’ve had a great day.

“He’s had quite a busy season so far; he’s raced in France, the UK, America and now also he’s raced in Germany.

“So I think he will have a little rest and probably then he will be prepared for the Prix de l’Arc.”

It was a second Group One success for the son of Wootton Bassett, who struck at elite level as a juvenile in the National Stakes at the Curragh but had not tasted victory since.

Paddy Power responded to his win in Germany by cutting Al Riffa from 20-1 to 14s for Arc glory.

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