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Racing News |
Goldikova to Take in Foret Before Breeders’ Cup
14/09/09
Trainer Freddie Head revealed today that last season’s TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Goldikova, one of the best fillies to race in Europe in recent years, is on course for the $2 million contest again this year (at Santa Anita on November 7) and will have her prep run over seven furlongs in the Group One Prix de la Foret at Longchamp on Saturday, October 3.
The four-year-old put in an outstanding performance to beat subsequent Group One winner Aqlaam by six lengths in the Group One Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois at Deauville on August 16, her sixth success in Group or Grade One company.
Goldikova holds entries in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on September 26 and the Group One Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday, October 3, but Head has decided to keep the filly at home for her next start.
“Goldikova will be running in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp and then, providing she runs well, she will be heading to Santa Anita,” said Head.
“She is very well at the moment and I am very pleased with her. We decided that the best way to target her at the Breeders’ Cup would be to run her at Longchamp rather than going to Newmarket or Ascot.
“She could still return to Britain next season if all goes well on her next two starts.”
Meanwhile, connections of Europe’s best colt of recent years - the brilliant five-time Group One winner Sea The Stars - confirmed today that they are considering sending the three-year-old to Santa Anita for the Grade One Breeders’ Cup Classic on November 7.
The Cape Cross colt has won this season’s stanjames.com 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, the Investec Derby at Epsom, the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, the Juddmonte International at York and most recently the Tattersalls Millions Champion Stakes at Loepardstown.
Oxx has nominated the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on October 4 as Sea The Stars’s probable next target but, should the ground be too soft, a trip to the Breeders’ Cup is now a distinct possibility.
“If we miss the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, then we will obviously have to look at the two races that are left for him - the Champion Stakes at Newmarket or Santa Anita, where it would probably be the Breeders’ Cup Classic rather than the Breeders’ Cup Turf,” Oxx told television channel At The Races.
“The horse tells you what you are going to do, he has to be in good form and give us the right signals. It’s very late in the year for a horse that has had a run in the 2000 Guineas but if he missed the Arc, then we would have to consider going to America.
“There hasn’t been any final decision but it’s highly unlikely that he will be in training next season. We haven’t actually got as far as discussing it and we are just taking one race at a time. We are enjoying it while it is going on and that will be a decision for another day, probably in a month’s time.
“The ratings are there in black and white and his performances are there for all to see. You would have to say that he is by far the best horse in training. Aidan (O’Brien) has some very, very good horses this year, probably among the best he has ever had with the likes of Fame And Glory and Rip Van Winkle, but Sea The Stars has been able to deal with them with some degree of comfort.
“Under performance would get him beat or bad luck in running or some strange thing happening but, if everything went according to plan and he stays in shape, he’s obviously going to be very, very hard to beat.”
Although he looks unlikely to line up, Sea The Stars guaranteed himself a place in the $3 million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf with his victory in the Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes.
The Leopardstown contest is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge - an international series of 63 races whose winners earn qualifying positions into a corresponding race at the World Championships, following the payment of applicable entry fees on October 26.
There are 11 Challenge races held in Europe this year, with the next events taking place at Ascot on September 26. The three Ascot contests are the Group Two Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (winner receives a place in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf), the Group One Meon Valley Stud Fillies’ Mile (winner receives a place in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf) and the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, one of Europe’s premier all-aged mile contests, for which the victor will be guaranteed a place in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile.
For the full schedule of the Breeders' Cup Challenge races, please visit http://www.breederscup.com/content.aspx?id=40070
About Breeders' Cup
The Breeders' Cup administers the Breeders' Cup World Championships; Thoroughbred racing's year-end Championships consisting of 14 races and $25.5 million in purses, which makes it the richest event in sports. At last year's Breeders' Cup, more than $100 million in winning wagers were returned to fans at betting locations around the globe. The Breeders' Cup also administers the Breeders' Cup Challenge qualifying series, and the Breeders' Cup Stakes Program. Breeders' Cup has offices in Lexington, Kentucky, and in New York City. Breeders' Cup press releases appear on the Breeders' Cup Web site, www.breederscup.com. You may follow the Breeders' Cup on Twitter at http://twitter.com/BreedersCup
