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Majestic Goldikova Marches On
02/08/10

When Freddie Head rode the great mare Miesque to her second Breeders' Cup Mile victory a generation ago he quite reasonably believed that he would never be associated with a better thoroughbred performer, writes Elliot Slater.

However, in Goldikova he has arguably fallen upon an even greater mare, and the French miling sensation continued her glorious run of success with another easy victory in the Group 1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville this weekend.

Making it ten wins at the highest level, the five-year-old Head-trained darling of French racing demonstrated her trademark blistering turn of foot to destroy a class field and stroll home three lengths clear of last month's Falmouth Stakes heroine Music Show, who appeared to run right up to form but simply had no answer to the quality of the Olivier Peslier-ridden 'supermare'.

It was business as usual for the daughter of Anabaa who dismissed her rivals with her normal panache, having had to work harder than normal on her previous start when forced to pull out all the stops to beat Paco Boy in a thrilling Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, where she arguably hit the front a little too soon and idled in front. Next stop looks likely to be the Prix Jaques le Marois back at Deauville in a couple of weeks time, and it is very hard imagining anything improving enough to beat the Wertheimer-owned superstar. To describe her as a top horse racing tip doesn't do justice to her ability.

All roads lead to the US and a third consecutive Breeder's Cup Mile, a victory that would further elevate Goldikova to seminal status on both sides of the Atlantic. She's my Breeders' Cup Mile tip once again.

It seems likely that victory at Churchill Downs may bring down the curtain on a truly glittering career so there may only be two or three more chance for racing fans to witness Goldikova's extraordinary talent. I suggest we savour every moment.