Goliath warms up for Japan Cup by seeing off Hamish in Paris
Christophe Soumillon always looked confident in cosy half-length success.
King George hero Goliath teed himself up for a planned tilt at the Japan Cup with a determined victory in the Prix du Conseil de Paris at ParisLongchamp. Francis-Henri Graffard’s charge had not been seen in competitive action since his spectacular display at Ascot in late July, when he belied odds of 25-1 to readily account for the subsequent Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Bluestocking and last month’s Preis von Europa victor Rebel’s Romance. As a gelding, Goliath was unable to run in the Arc himself and with connections also deciding against a return to Ascot for the Champion Stakes, the Japan Cup was identified as his big end-of-season target. Having missed a rematch with Rebel’s Romance in Germany after suffering a minor setback, the four-year-old was rerouted to a Group Two on home soil and was unsurprisingly a warm order in the hands of Christophe Soumillon. Carrying the colours of John Stewart for the first time after the American owner purchased a significant share from Philip Baron von Ullmann in the wake of his King George triumph, Goliath was settled in third for much of the one-mile-three-furlong journey, with Maniatic and the William Haggas-trained Hamish the two in front of him. A motionless Soumillon cut a confident figure in the saddle early in the home straight as he looked around for dangers – and while the admirable Hamish refused to go down without a fight and kept the hot favourite honest, Goliath took his measure late on and passed the post a cosy half-length winner.Follow us on Twitter racing365dotcom and like our Facebook page.
Latest
-
Williams has high hopes for Aqwaam next year
Progressive stayer put in a fine effort in the Cesarewitch after a lay-off.
-
Elizabeth Jane shows her class in Leopardstown Listed win
Dermot Weld: ‘We’ll try and win a Group One with her next year.’
-
Real Steel gallops on gamely for Munster National triumph
Eric McNamara: ‘That is a fantastic race to win and means a lot to us.’
-
Rubaud returns to top form with convincing Kempton repeat
Six-year-old now set to defend Elite Hurdle title before going chasing.
-
Anshoda to have the assistance of Rosario at Del Mar
David Loughnane’s ‘gutsy filly’ is going for Breeders’ Cup glory.
-
Goliath warms up for Japan Cup by seeing off Hamish in Paris
Christophe Soumillon always looked confident in cosy half-length success.
-
Murray delighted to have Valiant Force back on track
Amo Racing-owned sprinter set to have sights raised at Dundalk this week.
-
Detain camp keen to see rain stay away from Doncaster
Unbeaten juvenile does not want heavy ground for Futurity at Town Moor.
-
Givemefive ‘in good nick’ for upcoming Cheltenham target
Golfers Graeme McDowell and Brooks Koepka are among the horse’s owners.