Goliath flew the flag for France in style at Baden-Baden, storming to victory in the 1m4f Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden, his first success at the top level since his heroic triumph in the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in 2024.

While his form had dipped slightly since that Royal Ascot triumph, the Resolute Bloodstock-owned gelding had been campaigned ambitiously on the world stage. He finished sixth in the Group 1 Japan Cup and ninth in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Hong Kong before returning to France this summer. Dropped in grade, he was narrowly defeated when last seen in the 1m2f Group 3 Prix Gontaut-Biron Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes at Deauville.

Back up in trip at Baden-Baden, Clément Lecoeuvre adopted positive tactics, sending the five-year-old straight to the front on the rail. Switching across to the stands' side for better ground turning for home, Goliath was asked to extend his margin 300m from home and responded gamely, powering clear to win by a length and a quarter from British challenger Dubai Honour, with Straight a further length and three-quarters away in third.

In doing so, Goliath went one better than his sire, Adlerflug, who was runner-up in consecutive renewals of the Grosser Preis von Baden in 2007 and 2008. His dam, Gouache, captured the 1m2f Listed Preis vom Berliner Schloss – Hoppegartener Stutenpreis in 2016.

Winning owner John Stewart of Resolute Bloodstock was quick to post on X: "The beast is back. Goliath wins a second Group One in Europe this year! Breeders' Cup or Japan Cup?"