Goliath Back in the Winning Groove at Chantilly
By: Sean Cronin
Resolute Bloodstock's Goliath (Adlerflug) was unsuccessful in three starts since annexing last September's G1 Grosser Preis von Baden and rediscovered the winning habit in a hot renewal of Sunday's G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly.
“He has been a very special horse for the whole stable and I'm very happy to have him in such good condition, both mentally and physically, at his age,” said Francis Graffard. “Christophe [Soumillon] confirmed that and said his action was incredible today and like it was in Ascot when he won the King George. When the pace is like that and I can see my horse relaxed, he is a champion who can quicken very strongly. I will need to speak to the owners, but my idea is to go to the [G2] Hardwicke [at Royal Ascot] and then the [G1] King George with him. This will have been really good for him mentally to be back winning.”
The 8-5 second choice was kept wide by Soumillon through the early stages and positioned in the slipstream of Eydon (Olden Times), racing in an overall fifth, until improving one spot on the home turn.
Making stealthy headway on the bridle once into the straight, he cruised to the front approaching the furlong marker and was pushed out in the latter stages to comfortably assert by two lengths and a head from Oracle (Too Darn Hot) and Cualificar (Lope De Vega).
