True to his name, Goliath captivated the crowds at Ascot on the last Saturday of July, fulfilling their dreams with an extraordinary performance.
Initially, bookmakers viewed Goliath, trained in Chantilly by Francis Henri Graffard, as a long shot for the King George and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes, pricing him at 25/1 for this prestigious mid-summer middle distance championship.
Those odds, however, significantly underestimated both the six-year-old gelding’s capabilities and his trainer’s skill in preparing a horse for a Group One event.
It’s essential not to jump to the conclusion that such a big-priced winner indicated that the favored competitors had underperformed.
In fact, this was not the situation. Auguste Rodin, the heavily favored horse trained by Aidan O’Brien, finished fifth and was clearly struggling during the final furlong, trailing behind the rapid pace set by stablemates Hans Anderson and Luxembourg.
The Francis Henri Graffard-trained gelding, Goliath, stunned the field winning a historic race
Jockey Christophe Soumillon (pictured) rode Goliath into the history books at Ascot, on Saturday
The six-year-old gelding proved he can perform in the elite echelons of Group One racing
Interestingly, connections attributed Goliath’s earlier defeats to the ground conditions, claiming it was softer than the officially reported good to firm. However, none of the other connections, including those of Bluestocking, the runner-up, or third-placed Rebel’s Romance, shared such excuses.
Instead, there was a universal acknowledgment that they had been bested by a giant on this occasion. Goliath has a condition called stringhalt, causing an awkward twitch in his back leg while walking, but when racing, he exhibits remarkable speed.
‘When I saw the odds, I began to feel foolish,’ Graffard admitted. ‘I thought nobody had faith in him. But he travels so well, and once he settled into his rhythm, I knew he would accelerate.’
And accelerate he did, with an instant response that could very well have taken on a ‘whoosh!’ sound effect. Christophe Soumillon, riding beautifully, remained still while others around him frantically pulled at their reins, prompting him to do a double take.
‘I glanced to my left and had to make sure I wasn’t dreaming,’ reflected Soumillon, who previously rode the last French winner of the King George, Hurricane Run, in 2006.
‘As I approached the two furlong post, I realized it was all over for the competition.
‘Even though he was priced at 25/1, I felt very hopeful. He just needed a fast pace in the race to showcase his true potential, and that’s exactly what we got.
‘I feel immense pride for everyone involved—Francis, the connections, but also for myself. When you’re young and win a significant race, you think it will happen many more times.
‘So, moments like this must be savored. Getting on a champion is a rare opportunity.’
Queen Camilla (right) presented the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes trophy
I got to the two furlong post and I knew it was game over for the others,’ Soumillon said on the ride
This victory, accompanied by a first prize of £708,675, was well deserved. The quality of the contenders was remarkable, with nine horses collectively holding 20 Group One victories from locations as diverse as California to Hong Kong.
Five of these, including Bluestocking and Rebel’s Romance, arrived in Berkshire having recently achieved top-level wins, reinforcing the significance of this result.
What we’re witnessing is a moment to honor an extraordinary athlete realizing its vast potential.
‘I’m incredibly proud,’ expressed Ralph Beckett, trainer of Bluestocking, who found himself on the silver medal podium for the second consecutive year after Westover’s heartbreaking defeat to Hukum.
Jockey Soumillion rode the last French winner of the King George, Hurricane Run, in 2006
This time, there was no sense of ‘what could have been.’
‘Even if we had dropped in at the mile-and-a-quarter post, we would still have been beaten. What an incredible performance from the winner today. We ran a career best. It was a tremendous effort.’
Indeed, it was. Yet it fell short in the face of the formidable Goliath.
