| Golan marked
his seasonal debut with a win in the Gr.1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond
Stakes at Ascot on Sunday, less than a week following the death of his owner, Lord
Weinstock, on Tuesday. Making his first start in 244
days and ridden by Kieren Fallon, Golan was settled in the rear of the field for much of
the race before weaving his way through on the rails to catch front-runner Nayef at the
furlong marker. The pair battled to the line, pulling clear from the rest of the fiied,
with Golan prevailing by a head.
Trainer Michael Stoute considers Golan versatile enough to
run at any distance from a mile to a mile and a half but will take time to consider future
options.
Fallon said "Golan travelled really well and made my
job easy. He kept sticking his head out. I think there is a little bit of improvement in
him, this was his first run of the year."
Unbeaten at two years, Golan won the Gr.1 English Two
Thousand Guineas on only his second career start. He then finished second to Galileo in
the Gr.1 Epsom Derby and third to him in the Gr.1 Irish Derby. In September he scored a
comfortable win in the Gr.2 Prix Niel at Longchamp.
The son of Spectrum retires to Coolmore at the end of the
season.
Bred at Ballymacoll Stud Farm in Ireland, Golan comes from
a top class Ballymacoll family. He represents the immediate family of Sought Out, Fastness
and Champion sire Reform. |
