Goliath a powerful winner of the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth (Megan Rose Photography)
Francis Graffard Trainee Gains Automatic Berth into 2024 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar
Breeders’ Cup Press Release
ASCOT, BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND ─ Sent off at odds of 25-1, Philip Baron Von Ullmann’s Goliath (GER) powered home Saturday to win the 1 1/2-mile King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (G1) at Ascot Racecourse, earning a guaranteed start in the $5 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 82 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, California.
Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, Goliath was the sole international challenger in a nine-horse field and the first French-trained winner of the race since 2006. The son of Adlerflug (GER) finished second in the June 22 Hardwicke Stakes (G2) at the Royal meeting before securing his first top-level victory by 2 1/4 lengths Saturday.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained pacemaker Hans Andersen (GB) was pushed forward to adopt a front-running position after a fairly slow break, with stablemates Luxembourg (IRE) and 7-4 favorite Auguste Rodin (IRE), the defending Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, tracking behind him.
As Hans Andersen faded away, Luxembourg took it up rounding the bend, tracked by Auguste Rodin and 2022 Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf victor Rebel’s Romance (IRE), while Goliath cruised into contention from midfield under a cool ride by Christophe Soumillon.
The front three came under pressure, with Auguste Rodin struggling to keep tabs on the first two, but Soumillon sat still on Goliath before effortlessly traveling to the front and drawing clear for a surprise success from the staying-on Group 1 winning filly Bluestocking (GB). The Juddmonte-owned 4-year-old made up plenty of ground from the back and appeared to relish the step up to 1 1/2 miles.
The Godolphin-owned 6-year-old Rebel’s Romance finished third while the sole sophomore colt in the field, Guy Pariente Holding & Qatar Racing Ltd.’s Sunway (FR), came in fourth. Auguste Rodin faded to fifth.
Graffard said: “I love winning like this. I know my horse, with a good pace, could quicken like this. We came to Ascot to find a strong pace and still at Royal Ascot he was too keen, so I was really hoping for some pace here.
“When I saw the 25-1, I was like ‘Oh my God, nobody believes in him.’ He travelled so nicely though and when he was like that, I knew he’d be able to quicken strongly.”
Soumillon won for a second time, having also been aboard when Hurricane Run took this race for Andre Fabre in 2006. He said: “The win back at the highest level is always great, especially to ride for Francis [Graffard] and his whole team.”
The winning time was 2:27.43 on a course rated good to firm.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for the winner of the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes to start in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf. Breeders’ Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 21 to receive the rewards.
