Goliath, Rebel's Romance Vie in Grosser Preis von Baden

Last season's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) winner Goliath (GER) and globetrotting star Rebel's Romance (IRE) top the bill in a high-class running of Germany's leading weight-for-age race Sept. 7, the Grosser Preis von Baden (G1). Tom Marquand will travel across to partner another international favorite in Dubai Honour (IRE), while German Derby (G1) winner Hochkonig (GER) and the highly rated Path of Soldier (GER) mean there will be strong representation among the local 3-year-olds. "It's a very strong group 1, not only in the German context but as a proper European group 1," said co-owner Philip von Ullmann, who retained 25% in Goliath after United States-based John Stewart bought into the horse following his Ascot success last summer. "Obviously it's nice having Goliath running in Germany and John is a very good sport letting him run there, but at the same time we also have to admit that there aren't enough group 1 races for geldings over 12 furlongs anymore, so Baden-Baden is the obvious choice. "Being a Japan Cup invitational race also definitely helped in the choice because our goal after running there last year was definitely to try it out one more time. It only makes sense to run in Japan if you win one of those incentive races and let's hope he can keep his unbeaten streak against Rebel's Romance." With Christophe Soumillon committed to the Arc Trials card at Longchamp, Francis Graffard has called up Clement Lecoeuvre to ride Goliath. William Buick takes over on Rebel's Romance, who was third to Goliath in the King George, after Billy Loughnane's breakthrough group 1 success with the 7-year-old in the Grosser Preis von Berlin (G1) last month. Von Ullmann was quick to discount an overly negative view of Goliath's defeat to First Look (IRE) over a mile and a quarter in Deauville last time, and is hopeful that the run will have brought the son of Adlerflug (GER) on again. "It was his first run after a slight hiccup at Saint-Cloud and he'd had a bit of a break, so we knew he wasn't at a hundred percent," said Von Ullmann. "That was probably true of Andre Fabre's horse too, but I don't think he lost a single race in August, his stable was in top form. "The winner is a good horse and the gelding operation seems to have helped him. He's a solid horse and I don't think we were disgraced. He'll be a little bit fitter, which he has to be now we're running against Rebel's Romance and Dubai Honour, while we just don't know how good the German 3-year-olds are. "We'll probably find out and they get a big weight allowance. It's a really good race and a great advert for German racing."