Record-Breaking Goldikova Comes Back With a Bang

When she landed her second successive Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita last October, Goldikova, the darling of the French turf, proved that she is an extraordinary racehorse.

Those that doubted that keeping her in training as a five-year-old was the sensible option, now know that the Freddie Head trained mare is as good if not better than ever after her scintillating win in the Group One Prix D’Isaphan on Sunday, writes Elliot Slater.

Goldikova’s half-length defeat of the smart Byword smashed the Longchamp track record and took the daughter of Anabaa’s Group One winning tally to eight—just two short of 1980’s mile superstar Miesque, coincidentally ridden by Freddie Head to all her victories in the colours of the Niarchos family.

Ridden with plenty of confidence by Olivier Peslier, Goldikova was always holding the runner up having cruised through to take up the running in the final quarter mile. After dismounting, Peslier declared that the winner is as good, if not better than ever.

It looks fairly certain that Head will follow a similar route to last year with his star performer, going next to Royal Ascot for the Queen Anne Stakes (5/2 offered with horse racing tips ), then remaining on home soil for the Prix Rothschild and the Prix Jacques le Marois.

All being well, the Wertheimer owned mare will then travel back to the US for a crack at a third successive and record breaking Breeders’ Cup Mile.

European Flat racing is all the richer for the presence of such a great racehorse and much credit must go to Goldikova’s sporting owners, who have resisted the temptation to retire her to stud and deserve to be rewarded with more big race successes as a result.

If she continues in the same vein as year, it will be hard to argue against the growing racing tips assertion that Goldikova could rightly be considered one of the greatest racemares of the modern era.