Goliath and Christophe Soumillon© Photo Healy Racing
Goliath could become the flagship name of the Resolute Racing revolution as John Stewart sets his sights on making an impact internationally with his burgeoning operation.
Francis-Henri Graffard’s four-year-old caused an almighty shock in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in the summer, surging to a most impressive victory in the hands of Christophe Soumillon.
It was a triumph that garnered attention worldwide and in particular piqued the interest of Stewart – the former chief of Toyota’s operations in Britain before setting up his own private equity firm.
Having already invested heavily in his Resolute Racing operation, the lifelong racing fan from Kentucky made an immediate move to add the son of Adlerflug to his roster.
Stewart managed to negotiate the purchase of a majority interest in Goliath from Philip Baron Von Ullmann and the gelding is now set to be the frontman of Resolute Racing’s quest to dominate racing globally.
The first step on Goliath’s international adventures will see him head to Germany on Sunday – not far from where he was bred at the Gestut Schlenderhan – for a shot at the 62nd Preis von Europa, which will serve as a stepping stone for an ambitious tilt at the Japan Cup on November 24.
In Tokyo, he will bid to become the first French-trained winner since Le Glorieux struck for Robert Collet in 1987, while it is likely he will be getting his passport stamped on a regular basis with Stewart at the helm.
“I’m just getting my racing organisation up and running and we want to be in all of the big races all over the world,” Stewart told the PA news agency. “That Ascot run put Goliath on my radar.
“I’m a big fan of Auguste Rodin and the Coolmore team is an impressive team with what they accomplish. After I saw his impressive victory against Auguste Rodin and some of the best horses in Europe, I made an immediate enquiry and was able to secure the majority interest.
“I wanted the majority interest as I’m really committed to international racing and I wanted to make sure the best horses are entered in the best races all over the world and are being campaigned competitively.
“For Goliath, we have a marketing campaign where he will have his own logo and merchandise, which we are directing towards the Japan Cup – and it is going to be interesting and will create a bit of excitement.
“We want to take him to Japan, Hong Kong, Dubai – and I can even see him racing in Australia and the US as well.”
Such is Stewart’s intent to make an impact in the sport, he has been a big-spending presence at the major sales across the globe in the past year, splashing out in excess of $25million.
Pounce and Sweet Rebecca have already registered stakes-level victories stateside, while he had his first taste of Royal Ascot earlier this year, where Archie Watson’s Evade and Richard Hughes’ Palace Green were two to carry the Resolute Racing colours at Britain’s summer showpiece.
Keen to target the major prizes around the world, the Resolute Racing silks now could become a regular sight in Europe over the coming years.
Stewart continued: “We’re going to make sure our best horses are coming to Europe and I purposely developed my programme, which I have invested significantly in the last year, 80 per cent of it is turf, so I can compete internationally and that is what I really want to do.
“I was at Ascot this year for the first time and it’s my first year in racing. I had three runners there and they didn’t do really well, but I saw that Americans don’t bring our best horses to Ascot.
“I came back to the US and had conversations with my team and trainers and let them know that if they weren’t going to put Ascot on the plan for next year, then they weren’t going to be my trainers.”
Stewart’s thirst for top-grade international competition has seen him centre the campaigns of some of his star names around the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar in early November.
That has meant the likes of Chris Waller’s Tutta La Vita missing valuable assignments at home in favour of competing Stateside.
“This year, for the Breeders’ Cup, I have Didia from Argentina that is going to be there, Tutta La Vita from Australia and Princess Calla from South Africa, plus horses I’ve campaigned in the US.
“So, I’m trying to bring these really good-quality horses together for the best, highest-quality events and make sure fans watch the best possible competition.
“I have six yearlings in Australia and I have Tutta La Vita down there that I actually scratched from the Queensland Oaks to bring to America to run at the Breeders’ Cup, because I want to see that top international competition going on.”
Since going all-in on developing his racing empire, Stewart has begun building up a stellar collection of prize broodmares, which the Kentucky native houses in the former Shadwell-owned Shadayid Stud in Midway – a place he knows well and since acquiring has renamed Resolute Farm.
Notable names already residing on the farm include Breeders’ Cup winning trio Goodnight Olive, Pizza Bianca and Caravel, while Pegasus Filly &; Mare Turf winner Didia is ready and waiting to join the breeding ranks once her on-track career comes to an end.
Stewart also spent a total of $5.9m for the dams of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Forte and Kentucky Derby winner Mage.
“We have bought the Shadwell farm in Kentucky and we have started building our broodmare band,” explained Stewart.
“I want to have the best broodmares in the world and I have already acquired horses from Japan, Argentina, South Africa, France, Britain, Ireland and brought them to the farm.
“Of course, last year at the North American breeding stock sales, I bought most of the top horses at the sale and I want to have the best broodmares and breed the best horses in the world.”
As well as the growing broodmare operation, Stewart has been stockpiling blueblood yearlings to race in the Resolute Racing name.
He recently signed for the top lot on the opening day of the Arqana August Sale in Deauville, going to €1.4m to secure a Wootton Bassett brother to Coventry Stakes third Guildsman.
All of the yearlings acquired in Europe will remain there for pre-training while Stewart considers his options, but given his desire to compete on a global stage and the lure of Royal Ascot, it would be no surprise to see some stay on this side of the Atlantic for their juvenile campaigns.
“I’m still thinking about what I am going to do with him (the Wootton Bassett colt). We have left all of them in Europe for now and they will undergo their pre-training there,” added Stewart.
“I have two Wootton Bassett colts on my farm right now and I have a full-brother to Houquetot (trained by Christopher Head), the two-year-old Wootton Bassett out of Happen.
“I bought Happen in foal to Wootton Bassett from Coolmore in November last year and she had a beautiful colt and it is a real possibility I send him to Europe to campaign, with the success that his brother has had over there.”
Further explaining the regally-bred youngsters he has to look forward to, the American added: “I have another Wootton Bassett colt, I have a Siyouni colt and a Frankel colt.
“I also have a horse I bought from Coolmore that is a Deep Impact mare out of Minding and is in foal to Dubawi. She is called Victorium and the foal will be a three-quarters sibling to Henry Longfellow, so Europe is definitely on my radar.”
