By Tom Frary
Returning to domestic duty after his Far Eastern ventures, last year's King George Hero Goliath (Adlerflug) cruised to a welcome facile win in Sunday's G3 La Coupe at ParisLongchamp. Sauntering to the front from the outset under Christophe Soumillon, the 9-10 favourite only had to stretch inside the last two furlongs to dispatch the filly Grand Stars (Sea The Stars) by 1 3/4 lengths.
“We decided not to fight with him and let him be comfortable and when he's like that he's very good,” trainer Francis-Henri Graffard said of Resolute Bloodstock and Philip Baron Von Ullmann's flagbearer, who had run a rare tame race in the G1 QEII Cup in April. “He can quicken off any pace, he just needs to be relaxed as he is a horse that can be very tense. That's why he ran so poorly at Sha Tin, so I'm very happy and we can re-start with him. This race will do him good and I have to discuss with the entourage, but we will target the big races again.”
Goliath returns to winning ways at ParisLongchamp! 🇫🇷@GraffardRacing's top-class gelding proves much too good for his opposition in the Group Three La Coupe! pic.twitter.com/84pNEPjbSv
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 8, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Goliath's Listed-winning dam Gouache (Shamardal) is a granddaughter of Monsun's G1 Oaks d'Italia heroine Guadalupe which links the winner to some solid German Group-race performers like Guardini (Dalakhani), Guignol (Cape Cross) and Guiliani (Tertullian). Gouache's 2-year-old filly by Magna Grecia is named Grande Merci, while she also has a yearling filly by Blackbeard.
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
LA COUPE-G3, €80,000, ParisLongchamp, 6-8, 4yo/up, 10fT, 2:08.62, sf.
1–GOLIATH (GER), 126, g, 5, by Adlerflug (Ger)
1st Dam: Gouache (Ger) (SW-Ger), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Guantana (Ger), by Dynaformer
3rd Dam: Guadalupe (Ger), by Monsun (Ger)
O-Resolute Bloodstock & Baron Philip Von Ullmann; B-Gestut Schlenderhan; T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Christophe Soumillon. £40,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 13-7-2-0, €1,370,137. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Grand Stars (Ire), 122, f, 4, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Queen Guenevere (Ire), by Camelot (GB). (€260,000 Ylg '22 ARQAUG; €800,000 HRA '24 ARQDEC). O-Newsells Park Stud; B-Ballylinch Stud & Ecurie des Charmes; T-Gerald Mosse. €16,000.
3–Augustus (Ger), 126, c, 4, Soldier Hollow (GB)–Andraxt (Ger), by Lord Of England (Ger). O-Stall Lucky Owner; B-Klaus Hofmann; T-Waldemar Hickst. €12,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 2HF, SHD. Odds: 0.90, 6.60, 22.00.
Also Ran: Iresine (Fr), Casapueblo (Ire), Wakaburn (Fr), Saint Etienne (GB).
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