Graffard Confident Powerful Goliath Can Deliver in Hong Kong

The crack's trainer heads to Sunday's FWD QEII Cup (G1) at Sha Tin with high hopes.

The trainer heads into Sunday’s FWD QEII Cup (G1) at Sha Tin full of optimism / HKJC

SHA TIN, Hong Kong (Special to Turf Diario).- Francis-Henri Graffard is holding firm in his belief that Goliath can become the first French-trained horse since Jim And Tonic (Double Bid) in 1999 to win the FWD QEII Cup (G1-2000m) when he lines up at Sha Tin on Sunday.

The Chantilly-based trainer arrived just in time to watch his stable star stretch his legs over Sha Tin’s rain-soaked dirt track on Friday morning, and he was satisfied with what he saw.

The plan was always to launch Goliath’s season in Hong Kong, following his respectable sixth-place finish behind local champion Do Deuce (Heart’s Cry) in last November’s Japan Cup (G1-2400m).

While that effort didn’t go entirely as hoped, Graffard is confident that the experience gained and the return to 2000 meters—a distance Goliath hasn’t tackled since early 2023—could be key to rekindling the form that carried him to a spectacular victory in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1-2392m) last July.

“The idea of going to Japan was to find a strong pace,” Graffard explained during a press conference at Sha Tin. “We drew gate one and got boxed in on the rail; everything went against us. But it was a big experience for him because the start was right in front of the grandstands, something totally new for him, and he still managed to perform honorably.”

“The plan was to drop him back in distance for the start of this season. Of course, we’ll stretch him out again later, but we wanted to be sure of a solid pace. When he gets that, he’s a very exciting horse. And when everything falls into place during the race, like it did in the King George, he’s truly impressive,” he added.

Among the five Group 1 winners set to contest Sunday’s race, two will carry Japan’s hopes: Prognosis (Deep Impact), aiming to improve on back-to-back runner-up finishes in this event, both behind Romantic Warrior, and Liberty Island, looking to turn the tables after finishing second to the same rival in the Longines Hong Kong Cup (G1-2000m) last December.

Graffard is already eyeing a return trip to Tokyo for another tilt at the Japan Cup later this year, and while he acknowledges the strength of the Japanese challenge, he remains steadfast in his confidence.

“Wherever you go these days, it seems the main rivals are the Japanese horses,” Graffard said. “They are an incredible breed, fantastic animals, but I have tremendous faith in my horse. I know that when he’s at his best and things go his way, he’s a very, very good horse.”

Known for his powerful turn of foot over middle distances, Goliath has also gained a special following for his distinctive gait, caused by a rare neurological condition.

Addressing the subject, Graffard said: “He was born that way—it’s just his way of walking. It’s very eye-catching. His action doesn’t tell you much, and it’s hard to imagine he could be a great horse moving like that.”

“I remember at Royal Ascot, in the walking ring, he was doing it with both legs and I thought, ‘Oh my God!’ But then you see him gallop and quicken, and it’s just amazing. Mechanically he’s perfect—it’s only at the walk. Sometimes he does it, sometimes he doesn’t. That’s why he’s got such a unique personality,” he finished.