Goldikova takes another Group One; still being pointed at Breeders Cup
DiscreetCat
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from Sporting Life:
Freddie Head jumped back aboard the Group One bandwagon as Breeders' Cup heroine Goldikova returned to top form in the Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.
Last season was a blistering one for the French jockey-turned-trainer as he scooped eight Group One prizes around the world, including at this meeting as Marchand d'Or landed the Darley July Cup.
But 2009 has started slowly, with his stable stars - including Marchand d'Or, Goldikova and Naaqoos - all turned over during the early part of the campaign.
Goldikova herself could muster just a lowly seventh place in the Prix d'Ispahan in May, but looked a different beast at Headquarters as she raced home under Olivier Peslier as the 7-4 favourite.
The four-year-old raced prominently throughout and, despite wandering about after leading inside the final furlong, she held on by half a length from the Cheveley Park Stud-owned duo of Heaven Sent and Spacious.
Head said: "The ground at Longchamp was so bad and the filly could not get out of it. She has been working well coming here and I was very happy with her prep gallops so I was very confident.
"Maybe we saw a lot of daylight (in the race) and she did it the hard way, but kept on finding.
"I don't think there was much pace on early and it was a slow-run, funny race.
"She came to the front a bit early and I was a bit scared but she kept finding something.
"I think she would have won a little further with a better pace and no one came back at her at the end.
"She will now go to Deauville for the Prix Rothschild or the Jacques Le Marois. The Marois is the main goal so we will see if she runs before that.
"Obviously, California and another Breeders' Cup Mile is the aim at the end of the year."
Head has amassed just 20 winners in homeland during 2009 and even had to watch Naaqoos being demoted from third place in the French 2000 Guineas.
Reflecting on the season so far, he said: "I had a virus in my yard earlier in the season, but hopefully that is over now and the horses are all coming on.
"Marchand d'Or has had four tough years and needs a rest. It was a disgrace Naaqoos was disqualified from third in the Poulains and he then coughed the other day - but he will be back."
Peslier added: "There was no pace early and she was looking around towards the finish.
"She has been off a long time before running at Longchamp, and the ground was different there.
"She wasn't ready that day but was today and she has confirmed that she is a good filly."
Heaven Sent had chased home Spacious as the pair filled the first two places in the Windsor Forest at Royal Ascot, but reversed the form on this occasion with the pair separated by half a length.
Chris Richardson, racing manager for owners Cheveley Park Stud, was far from disappointed in claiming the minor honours.
He said: "You can't split them once again. They have both run extremely well and it's no disgrace to have been beaten by Goldikova.
"Spacious could go for the Nassau Stakes and it could be the same for Heaven Sent, although we might look at the Matron Stakes as well."
Rainbow View was just a neck back in fourth after making the frame at Ascot last month, and her trainer John Gosden feels she may now need a longer trip on good ground.
He added: "She's run great and it was only the older fillies who were in front.
"I think she wants a mile on soft or a mile and a quarter otherwise and we will look at the Nassau and the Prix Rothschild."
Freddie Head jumped back aboard the Group One bandwagon as Breeders' Cup heroine Goldikova returned to top form in the Etihad Airways Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.
Last season was a blistering one for the French jockey-turned-trainer as he scooped eight Group One prizes around the world, including at this meeting as Marchand d'Or landed the Darley July Cup.
But 2009 has started slowly, with his stable stars - including Marchand d'Or, Goldikova and Naaqoos - all turned over during the early part of the campaign.
Goldikova herself could muster just a lowly seventh place in the Prix d'Ispahan in May, but looked a different beast at Headquarters as she raced home under Olivier Peslier as the 7-4 favourite.
The four-year-old raced prominently throughout and, despite wandering about after leading inside the final furlong, she held on by half a length from the Cheveley Park Stud-owned duo of Heaven Sent and Spacious.
Head said: "The ground at Longchamp was so bad and the filly could not get out of it. She has been working well coming here and I was very happy with her prep gallops so I was very confident.
"Maybe we saw a lot of daylight (in the race) and she did it the hard way, but kept on finding.
"I don't think there was much pace on early and it was a slow-run, funny race.
"She came to the front a bit early and I was a bit scared but she kept finding something.
"I think she would have won a little further with a better pace and no one came back at her at the end.
"She will now go to Deauville for the Prix Rothschild or the Jacques Le Marois. The Marois is the main goal so we will see if she runs before that.
"Obviously, California and another Breeders' Cup Mile is the aim at the end of the year."
Head has amassed just 20 winners in homeland during 2009 and even had to watch Naaqoos being demoted from third place in the French 2000 Guineas.
Reflecting on the season so far, he said: "I had a virus in my yard earlier in the season, but hopefully that is over now and the horses are all coming on.
"Marchand d'Or has had four tough years and needs a rest. It was a disgrace Naaqoos was disqualified from third in the Poulains and he then coughed the other day - but he will be back."
Peslier added: "There was no pace early and she was looking around towards the finish.
"She has been off a long time before running at Longchamp, and the ground was different there.
"She wasn't ready that day but was today and she has confirmed that she is a good filly."
Heaven Sent had chased home Spacious as the pair filled the first two places in the Windsor Forest at Royal Ascot, but reversed the form on this occasion with the pair separated by half a length.
Chris Richardson, racing manager for owners Cheveley Park Stud, was far from disappointed in claiming the minor honours.
He said: "You can't split them once again. They have both run extremely well and it's no disgrace to have been beaten by Goldikova.
"Spacious could go for the Nassau Stakes and it could be the same for Heaven Sent, although we might look at the Matron Stakes as well."
Rainbow View was just a neck back in fourth after making the frame at Ascot last month, and her trainer John Gosden feels she may now need a longer trip on good ground.
He added: "She's run great and it was only the older fillies who were in front.
"I think she wants a mile on soft or a mile and a quarter otherwise and we will look at the Nassau and the Prix Rothschild."
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