King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day

27/07/2024
United Kingdom
Ascot
Winner - GOLIATH

King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day

After a fabulous five days of the Royal Meeting back in June, World Pool returned to Ascot for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day.

Ryan Moore began the meeting with a bang, winning the first two races, including when driving Simmering to a first career success in the G3 Princess Margaret Stakes.

Following that, popular handicapper Northern Express got his head in front to win the valuable International Stakes, after so often occupying the runners up spot in big handicaps.

However, there could only be one World Pool Moment of the Day winner, as the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained GOLIATH shocked his better fancied rivals to win the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in style under a trademark Christophe Soumillon ride.

Soumillon could be spotted sitting motionless on the outside 400m out, with both Auguste Rodin and Rebel’s Romance pushed along to his inside, and once he kicked Goliath into gear, there was no catching him, giving the leading rider the chance to celebrate before crossing the line.

Soumillon himself was on hand to collect the £4,000 Moment of the Day cheque on behalf of Goliath’s groom Jason Pigot and he said: “We are always talking about trainers, the horses and the jockeys, but the most important people are the ones that are looking after the horses everyday.

“I think he [Pigot] did a lot of great things with the horse, he made him improve so much in the last few months.

“Winning such a great prize, I think it’s going to motivate him to do even better. For me it’s very important for them [stable staff] to get back something big like this.”

Pigot will now enter the World Pool Moment of the Year competition for the chance to win a VIP trip to Hong Kong next year.

Connections can also dream of many more big days with Goliath, and Soumillon said: “It’s an amazing day for me, I’m so proud and so happy. We’re going to dream some more with him and let’s hope we’re going to win some more big races.”

A deserved £4,000 World Pool Moment of the Day win with GOLIATH for Team Graffard and groom Jason Pigot.