Goldikova claims Mile glory

Success caps brilliant year for Head

Last updated: 26th October 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Goldikova 25/10/2008

Impressive performance: Peslier on Goldikova

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Goldikova put up one of the most impressive performances at the Breeders' Cup in recent years when sprinting clear to win the Mile.

Despite jockey Olivier Peslier putting up 2lb overweight, her superiority over her rivals was never in any real doubt.

Peslier settled her in third before getting a gap a furlong-and-a-half out and she powered away to beat last year's winner Kip Deville.

It caps a brilliant year for trainer Freddie Head who created his own piece of history in becoming the first man to ride and train a Breeders' Cup winner.

Head said after the length-and-a-quarter win: "I think she's as good as Miesque, she's in the same league.

"She was more backward but now today she is at the top of the charts."

Murtagh said of the fifth-placed US Ranger: "I was a little bit unlucky. I was quite happy with him early on but I just wasn't where I needed to be at a critical stage in the straight, he was going on well at the finish."