Racing: Knifebox the final twist for Roberts

THE FINAL wound in what has been an often painful season for Michael Roberts was delivered on Sunday when Knifebox won Europe's last Group One event of the year, the Premio Roma, writes Matt Chapman. With Pat Eddery on board, sporting the Sheikh Mohammed colours that Roberts had been contracted to carry this year, the South African was deprived of the distinction of having won more prize-money at Flat racing's highest level than any other rider in 1993.

Despite holding pole position in that table until Sunday, with five Group One wins worth pounds 1,451,779, Roberts was unable to retain his position as the Sheikh's rider and those wearing the maroon and white silks in 1994 may have a tough task to better those figures.

Eddery's eight successes in the top events included five for Khalid Abdullah, a figure that would have been improved had he chosen Commander In Chief in the Derby instead of Tenby.

Cash Asmussen has had a highly profitable season, winning 10 Group One races - seven at Longchamp where he excels. Lester Piggott, though, has had a disappointing 1993, managing only a single Group One win after eight the previous year.

Andre Fabre dominated the trainer's table, proving pre-eminent in the top events. Of the 73 Group One contests that were run in Europe in 1993, France's champion trainer won nine times and reached a place on 38 occasions. Willie Jarvis, Neville Callaghan and Mark Tompkins recorded their first winners at the highest level.

----------------------------------------------------------------- TRAINERS' RECORDS IN EUROPEAN GROUP ONE RACES OF 1993 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Trainer 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Prize-money A Fabre (Fr) 9 12 10 7 pounds 1,963,697 F Boutin (Fr) 8 2 7 1 pounds 1,334,046 H Cecil (GB) 3 3 5 2 pounds 1,221,498 M Stoute (GB) 4 5 2 1 pounds 1,008,586 P Chapple-Hyam (GB) 2 3 4 3 pounds 934,487 C Brittain (GB) 3 3 2 4 pounds 714,796 E Lellouche (Fr) 4 3 2 3 pounds 668,664 Mme C Head (Fr) 2 3 1 6 pounds 637,813 J Lesbordes (Fr) 1 0 0 0 pounds 597,372 H Jentzsch (Ger) 4 1 0 0 pounds 493,877 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Table includes prize-money for finishing in the first four only -----------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------- JOCKEYS' RECORDS IN EUROPEAN GROUP ONE RACES OF 1993 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Rider 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Prize-money Pat Eddery (GB based) 8 6 5 4 pounds 1,539,863 M Roberts (GB) 5 9 5 2 pounds 1,451,779 C Asmussen (Fr) 10 2 5 2 pounds 1,433,269 J Reid (GB) 4 4 2 4 pounds 1,019,549 W R Swinburn (GB) 4 6 2 8 pounds 999,438 M Kinane (Irl) 5 0 1 2 pounds 915,652 T Jarnet (Fr) 4 6 5 4 pounds 810,047 L Dettori (GB) 4 3 8 0 pounds 737,748 E Saint-Martin (Fr) 1 0 2 0 pounds 657,109 W Carson (GB) 3 3 2 5 pounds 599,080 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Table includes prize-money for finishing in the first four only -----------------------------------------------------------------