Goldikova returns...

the_fat_man · #1 05-12-2009, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brockguy

yeah she was such a lucky winner that day

Shame we have two G1s here on the same weekend over 8 and 9 furlongs.

She's good, no doubt, but she got a much better trip than the runner up. That much should be acknowledged.

brockguy · #2 05-12-2009, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

She's good, no doubt, but she got a much better trip than the runner up. That much should be acknowledged.

I had to watch the race again to make sure i knew what you were saying, but to me Kip just lacked tactical speed to get a nice position in the race. He didnt get a bad trip really. Anyway, you could have put the filly anywhere in that race and she'd have won. Ive rarely seen such instant acceleration like that in my life.

CSC · #3 05-12-2009, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

She's good, no doubt, but she got a much better trip than the runner up. That much should be acknowledged.

Why because she has the tactical speed to get position she should apologize for being superior to Kip Deville in that aspect? Really FM?

randallscott35 · #4 05-12-2009, 03:45 PM

She was much the best that day.

smuthg · #5 05-12-2009, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randallscott35

She was much the best that day.

agreed... wasn't she checked pretty good at the top the stretch and then had to duck inside to make the winning move?

my miss storm cat · #6 05-12-2009, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randallscott35

She was much the best that day.

my miss storm cat · #7 05-16-2009, 10:16 AM

Racing Post...

Goldikova: faces eight on seasonal reappearance at Longchamp on Sunday

By Desmond Stoneham3.30PM 15 MAY 2009
Preview: Longchamp, Sunday

2.50 Longchamp: Prix d’Ispahan (Group 1) 1m 1¼f, 4yo+

GOLDIKOVA looks different class to her eight opponents when she makes her seasonal debut in the Prix d’Ispahan on Sunday.

Her Longchamp rivals include the John Gosden-trained Tazeez, and Curtain Call, who is being sent over from Newmarket by Luca Cumani - a last minute decision due to the ground coming up soft.

The Freddie Head-trained Goldikova was highly progressive last year. Once Zarkava was out of the way, the daughter of Anabaa reeled off the Prix Chloe, Prix Rothschild (ex Astarte), Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and was then a brilliant winner of the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita.

The filly hasn’t been out since and her trainer feels she will have no problem with the trip as she goes beyond a mile for the first time. She will have the advantage of her stablemate Celebrissime to ensure a sensible pace.

Head won the Prix d’Ispahan four times as a jockey including on the mighty Miesque in 1988.

Fran Berry will be on board Curtain Call, who was impressive when making all to beat French Derby runner-up Famous Name by three lengths in the Group 3 Mooresbridge Stakes at The Curragh earlier this month.

Loup Breton loves to get his feet in. He was beaten threequarters of a length to Vision d’Etat in the Prix Ganay, but may have been flattered as the winner is inclined to stop in front.

Previously the five-year-old had been unlucky when fourth in the Prix d’Harcourt and the same can be applied to the fifth-placed Never On Sunday, who has something to find in the formbook but is well fancied.

Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s Tazeez has hit formearly this season, as he showed when streaking home in the Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket last month. He will be running over much softer ground on this occasion.

Proviso was in a class of her own when making a six-length winning seasonal debut at Longchamp. That win was a return to her impressive two-year-old form when she landed the Prix du Calvados after a ding-dong battle with Laureldean Gale, before finishing second in the Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile.

Last season Proviso proved a slight disappointment with only a Listed race at Bordeaux to her name, although she was fourth to Zarkava in the Prix de Diane.

Now with Alain de Royer-Dupre at Chantilly, Gris De Gris is one of the most experienced horses in the field but is best on a left-handed track. At Saint-Cloud this year he picked up the Prix Edmond Blanc and finished second in the Prix du Muguet.

There has been a big change in the going since last Sunday at Longchamp. Rain has been falling on and off all week and Sunday’s big meeting is likely to be run on soft ground.

What they said:

Elie Lellouche, trainer of Loup Breton
"We have got to beat Freddie [Goldikova] but the horse is in very good form and very consistent. He was unlucky in the d'Harcourt and ran on well in the Ganay. The soft ground will be an advantage for him."

Luca Cumani, trainer of Curtain Call
"He loves soft ground and is in excellent form but it's a hard race. We are hoping for a good run. In Ireland he had it won at a mile and he has a lot of speed. Maybe last year it was a mistake to run him over a mile and a half."

Alain de Royer-Dupre, trainer of Gris De Gris
"He is in good shape and will have his ground. It will be interesting to see him run a bit longer this time and we are being a bit daring to run him at this level."

Jean-Claude Rouget, trainer of Never On Sunday
"I find the colt in very good condition and his run in the d'Harcourt pleased me a lot. It was a super performance and I think he is capable of running a big race."

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Khalid Abdullah, owner of Proviso
"She came out of her last race well and is fresh although she didn't beat much. This is a big step up but she has done physically better between three and four than two to three."

Freddie Head, trainer of Goldikova
"She has done extremely well during the winter and is looking beautiful. I've been pleased with her workand she is well in herself. I believe she will stay more than a mile for the first time and we run Celebrissime to set a sensible pace as we don't want a false one."

John Gosden, trainer of Tazeez
"He did it well at Newmarket and is a nice sort of horse. There is one exceptional filly in the race, otherwise it looks competitive. Tazeez has won on all sorts of ground."