You say tom-ah-toh, I say tom-ay-to.
Differences of opinion exist in every sphere of life, and the racecourse is no different – as became readily apparant after favourite Auguste Rodin, from the Coolmore yard of Aidan O’Brien, put in one of his more inglorious performances in the midsumer middle distance championship of Europe, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot last Saturday.
Track conditions can often be in the eye of the beholder, but the state of the ground at Ascot quickly became a major talking point – something of a pity as it in part overshadwoed the tremendous performance of the French trained winner Goliath.
The son of German stallion Alderflug, trained at Chantilly by Franoise HenrI Graffard and ridden by leading French based rider Christoph Soumillon, slayed several of his own giants in a compelling display of stamina and speed when he breezed past his rivals to win impressively from the filly Bluestocking, with Godolphin’s group 1 globetrotter Rebel Romance in third place.
Auguste Rodin didn’t make the frame – and neither did O’Brien’s other two contenders Luxembourg and the pacemaker Hans Anderson.
Such was the ease of Goliath’s win – Soumillion came with a double handful and looked to be cantering over his rivals at the two furlong pole – that it seemed an open and shut case of the best horse winning on the day, despite the fact that he was allowed to start at 25/1.
But the post race inquest centred as much on the beaten Coolmore brigade as it did on the winner.
Goliath’s connections suggested that he relished the firmer conditions and the fast pace set by the O’Brien workhorse, and the fact that the time for the race was well inside standard testifies to his stamina but also the track condition.
However O’Brien was at odds with the official description of good to firm, suggesting that when he and his team had walked the track pre-race they felt very differently.
”When we walked the track, we were very worried then. It was good, good to soft in places. Nowhere was it good to firm and it was cut up on the rails, it was full of sand.
“We knew we had no choice, that’s where we were, we had to go down there – and with the benefit of hindsight, we should have come off the bad ground and out onto the quicker ground. That’s the way it is and that’s the way it fell for us today.”
Cynics immediately suggested that it was the trainer making excuses for one of his star colt’s disappointing display, but O’Brien’s record in big races over 30 odd years gives him plenty of credit in the bank when it comes to assessing performances on all sorts of surfaces in all kinds of venues, so it remains something of an enigma.
The same can be said of Auguste Rodin himself, who once again put in a sub par performance. The plan had been to have one more run in Europe and then target the Japan Cup in the late autumn with the son of Deep Impact, but that could now be in abeyance as the Coolmore brains trust works out where things went wrong.
If firm ground is what he likes Japan would, however, still look to be the best guarantor of such a surface.
And what of Goliath. He certainly did step up on all previous form but as his trainer pointed out, the race pattern and the ground conditions allowed him to show his talent off to the full.
He won’t be able to do so in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, however, as he is a gelding, and only entires, mares, colts and fillies are allowed to contest Europe’s Premier Group 1 contest.
Therefore it is likely Goliath will be campaigned on the international circuit: Australia, with it’s huge prizemoney, will be considered but it is more likely that the German owned galloper will be seen in the US or Hong Kong.
Bluestocking confirmed that she is a four year old on the upgrade when she ran on to pick up the pieces for second place while Rebel Romance, who, like Auguste Rodin, had been racing near the speed, did very well to keep on for third position.
Godolphin is likely to pick up several more big pots with him if they go back on the international circuit.
Fourth home Sunway did not really enhance the case for the Classic generation all that much. He came through late but never looked in the hunt although the further he goes the more he might be suited.
European attention now turns to the Glorious Goodwood Festival in Sussex and the week long marathon that is part race meeting, part party, that is the Galway Festival in Ireland. For the latter, think Warrnambool squared but over seven days, not three!
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