Sunday, May 23rd – Longchamp. The dual Breeders’Cup Mile winner Goldikova (Anabaa) came back with a very convincing win in a record edition of the Prix d’Ispahan (Gr1 – 1,850mT). She covered the 9 ½ furlongs trip in 1’49’’40, beating the mark of previous record holder Royale Heroine, winner of the 1983 Prix de l’Opera in 1’50’’10.

Olivier Peslier eased his mount by the post and the half a length margin between the champion and the second-placed Byword (Peintre Celebre) does not exactly reflect the mare’s domination.

The Wertheimers 5yo mare had got well beaten in this race last season. The ground was much softer than Sunday but this radical defeat led her many supporters scratching their head, including her trainer Freddy Head. She came back as good as ever later in the Summer however and signed off with a second Breeders’Cup Mile win at Santa Anita.

Even though it took some time to load her in the starting stalls – a bad habit she seemed to have lost last year after a brief session with ethologist Nicolas Blondeau -, she took a perfect start for this 4th season. The race was led by her stablemate Celebrissime (Peintre Celebre) and German raider Next Vision (Rock of Gibraltar), who opened the way at full speed, covering the first 6 furlongs in 1’13’’50. The first beaten horse was Board Meeting (Anabaa), who suddenly lost her action at the short straight leading to the actual stretch. “She must have suffered from insolation”, said her trainer Elie Lellouche of the 2009 Prix de l’Opera 2nd. The Chantilly trainer was very keen on the filly beforehand since Board Meeting did a very good piece of work the previous week.

The other main rival to Goldikova, French Oaks winner Stacelita (Monsun) was kept behind by Christophe Soumillon with a Gr1 beginner, Juddmonte’s promising 4yo Byword. Goldikova soon made the difference in the straight and galloped away to her eighth Gr1 victory. While Stacelita could not improve her position, finishing a distant 4th, Byword confirmed his progress by making up a few lengths on the winner to take the second place, ten lengths ahead of Wiener Walzer (Dynaformer).

Goldikova should now head to Royal Ascot and the Queen Anne Stakes (Gr1-1,600mT) while Byword should go for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Gr1-2,000mT) at the same meeting in four weeks time.

Should Goldikova win again at Royal Ascot, and then in the Prix Rothschild (Gr1-1,600mT), the Prix Jacques le Marois (Gr1-1,600mT), over the Prix de la Foret’s 7 furlongs during the Arc weekend before a third tilt at the Breeders’Cup Mile, she could become the first European mare to win more than 11 Gr1s, Dahlia’s record. Winning three Breeders’Cup championship would also set a new standard in the American showpiece.

For the first time since she became a top filly, Goldikova did not winter at Freddy Head’s yard in Chantilly. She went to the Wertheimers Haras de St. Leonard and seemed to appreciate this vacation. “She’s better than last year at the same time,” said Head. “I think she also hates heavy grounds. A bit of holiday did well as she was in training for two years. This 1,850 metres-long trip is slightly too long for her. We’d seen that in the Prix de Diane (3rd to Zarkava and Gagnoa in 2008) over 2,100 metres.”

Stacelita’s comeback was less convincing but her trainer Jean-Claude Royget had warned that the 2009 French Oaks winner could need this race. “It was a real milers' race and she needs a bit further,” he said.

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