Racing career Golan (horse)

1 racing career

1.1 2000: two-year-old career
1.2 2001: three-year-old season

1.2.1 spring
1.2.2 summer
1.2.3 autumn


1.3 2002: four-year-old season

1.3.1 summer
1.3.2 autumn

racing career
2000: two-year-old career

golan began career in september 2000, when contested maiden race @ chepstow. started 5/4 favourite , won readily 1 , quarter lengths, having been sent lead fergal lynch furlong finish. although golan did not race again year, form of race boosted when runner-up, clearing, impressive three-and-a-half-length winner of group 3 horris hill stakes in october.

2001: three-year-old season
spring

golan sent straight highest level three-year old, making first appearance of season in 2000 guineas. despite lack of experience, golan had been supported in betting race on strength of impressive work in training, price falling 25/1 9/1 before steadying @ 11/1 on day. colt did show signs of inexperience, breaking , tracking sharply left last of 18 runners after furlong. fallon settled golan @ of field took him outside produced sustained run. golan moved last take lead furlong finish, , driven out fallon win 1 , quarter lengths tamburlaine fallon described golan s acceleration incredible, best ve ever known horse , while stoute called him exciting prospect . more neutral observers impressed, noting colt s pedigree contained stamina influences, suggesting triple crown contender.

summer

golan made favourite derby, position challenged form of aidan o brien-trained galileo , @ epsom 2 colts started joint favourites @ 11/4. golan ridden veteran pat eddery, fallon serving ban irresponsible riding. golan settled , turned straight in sixth place. made steady progress in last quarter of mile, moving second furlong out. galileo, however, had gone clear , ran on beat golan 3 , half lengths. after race, stoute offered no real excuses, except golan may have been unsuited firm ground.

three weeks later, golan again challenged galileo in irish derby @ curragh. started 4/1 second favourite, never threat favourite, , although made progress in straight, beaten 8 lengths, finishing third behind galileo , derby italiano winner morshdi.

autumn

golan prepared prix de l arc de triomphe , appeared next in prix niel, recognised trial race. although niel group 2 race, typically attracts field of group 1 strength, having been won in previous 5 years horses such sinndar, montjeu , helissio. in 2001 running, golan opposed 2 leading french colts, anabaa blue (prix du jockey club) , chichicastenango (prix lupin, grand prix de paris). fallon tracked leaders on golan before sending colt past anabaa blue furlong , half out. golan driven out win 3 quarters of length in race record time of 2:27.00. fallon said golan arc horse , while bookmakers undecided, offering odds ranging 3/1 10/1.

in arc, run on soft (officially holding ) ground, golan made 7.6/1 fourth choice behind godolphin favourite sakhee. golan ridden positively, , attempted challenge sakhee when favourite sent lead in straight. unable make headway against leader, however, , tired in closing stages, losing second , third places close finish.

on final start of year, golan, ridden johnny murtagh, finished sixth of 15 behind jungle pocket in japan cup.

before run in derby, weinstock had sold half-share in golan coolmore, view standing horse @ 1 of irish organisation s studs @ end of season. after japan cup, however, announced golan stay in training, stoute reported confident of gaining further success.

2002: four-year-old season
summer

golan s seasonal reappearance delayed when training setback prevented him running in eclipse stakes.

in july, less week after death of owner, arnold weinstock, golan made first start of year in britain s prestigious weight-for-age race, king george vi , queen elizabeth stakes. despite lack of prep, golan looked fit , relaxed before race , made joint second favourite @ 11/2, behind favourite grandera. fallon held golan in last place in stages, race led 2 pacemakers. in straight, golan moved through field on inside, , when nayef took lead on furlong finish, fallon pushed golan challenge. 2 colts raced alongside each other throughout final furlong, golan reaching front 50 yards finish , winning head. after race, stoute praised horse s performance while emphasising bittersweet nature of success, saying lord weinstock have loved this...he looking forward seeing horse race year

golan , nayef met again on shorter distance in international stakes @ york month later. 2 colts dominated both betting , race. nayef took lead 2 furlongs out , fallon brought golan make sustained challenge. both horses ran on under pressure, nayef reversing ascot form , recording half-length victory.

autumn

as in 2001, golan sent on international campaign in autumn. in october, sent chicago breeders cup turf @ arlington park. made 3.7/1 second favourite, broke , never threat, finishing sixth of 8 starters behind high chaparral.

his career ended second unsuccessful attempt win japan cup. made strong challenge, reaching second place in straight, make no further progress , finished seventh, beaten less 3 lengths, behind falbrav.