Grosser Preis von Baden (Group 1)

BADEN Baden’s Group 1 tomorrow is one of the strongest renewals of the race with two foreign challengers though Godolphin’s Rebel’s Romance missed out due to ground concerns.

Tom Marquand will travel across to partner another international favourite in Dubai Honour, while last season’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Goliath bids to get back to that level and land another Group 1 for the Francis-Henri Graffard yard.

The German Derby winner Hochkonig and the highly-rated Path Of Soldier add strong representation among the local three-year-olds.

The Derby winner has not run since that July success.

“It’s a very strong Group 1, not only in the German context but as a proper European Group 1,” said Goliath’s co-owner Philip von Ullmann this week, who retained 25% after US-based John Stewart bought into the horse following his Ascot success last summer.

“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.”

Von Ullmann is hopeful that Goliath’s defeat to First Look over a mile and a quarter in the Group 3 Prix Gontaut-Biron Hong Kong Jockey Club at Deauville last time will have brought the son of Adlerflug on again.

Francis Graffard has called up Clement Lecoeuvre to ride Goliath.

Dubai Honour could set up a tilt at the Japan Cup when he makes his first European start of the year. The seven-year-old was last seen at Sha Tin in May.

William Haggas’ globetrotting star finished second to Fantastic Moon in this race last year and will try to go one better.

“He’s absolutely fine and this was always going to be his comeback race,” said Haggas.

“It looks a strong race but it’s a Group 1, so it should be a strong race.

“He’s not getting any younger but he’s still all there.

“He’s retained all his enthusiasm and I think he’s in good form and bound to run a good race on Sunday, even though he has those two rated higher than him to contend with.”

Dubai Honour has thrived in Australia and took his Group 1 haul to four when claiming the Tancred Stakes at Rosehill in April, before also running with credit when second to Australian ace Via Sistina later that month.

The gelding has Japan as his likely destination this autumn.

“We’re going to consider the Japan Cup this year, because he won a ‘win-and-you’re-in’ race in Australia,” Haggas added.

SELECTION: GOLIATH Next best: Hochkonig