Golden Lilac

Golden Lilac
Sire	Galileo
Grandsire	Sadler's Wells
Dam	Grey Lilas
Damsire	Danehill
Sex	Filly
Foaled	25 April 2008
Country	Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Ammerland Verwaltung Gmbh
Owner	Gestut Ammerland
Trainer	Andre Fabre
Record	10: 6-1-1
Major wins
Prix de la Grotte (2011) Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (2011) Prix de Diane (2011) Prix d'Ispahan (2012)
Awards
Champion French three-year-old filly[1]

Golden Lilac is an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. She won her first six races including the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and the Prix de Diane as a three-year-old in 2011. In May 2012 she defeated Cirrus des Aigles to win the Prix d'Ispahan.

Background

Golden Lilac is a bay filly with a narrow white blaze. She was bred in Ireland by the German based Ammerland Stud. Golden Lilac was sent into training with Andre Fabre and has been ridden in most of her races by Maxime Guyon. She was sired by the Epsom Derby winner Galileo out of Grey Lilas, a mare who won the Prix du Moulin in 2004.

Racing career

2010: two-year-old season

Golden Lilac made her first appearance in a maiden race at Saint-Cloud on 8 September. She started favourite and won by a neck from Elusive Eria. She returned to the same track in October to win a minor stakes race by two lengths from Rosehill Dew.^[2]

2011: three-year-old season

Golden Lilac made her three-year-old debut in the Group Three Prix de la Grotte at Longchamp in April. She was settled in fourth place by Guyon before taking the lead in the closing stages and winning "comfortably"^[3] by one and a half lengths. In winning the Prix de la Grotte, she emulated her dam, Grey Lilas, who took the same race in 2004.^[4] Three weeks later, the filly returned to Longchamp for the Group One Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, the French euivalent of Britain's 1000 Guineas. Ridden by Olivier Peslier (Guyon was unavailable because of a suspension^[5]) she went clear in the straight and won by three lengths from Glorious Sight.^[6] Her performance was described as "dominating" by The Blood-Horse correspondent.^[7]

In June, Golden Lilac was matched against the highly regarded Galikova in the Prix de Diane over 2100m at Longchamp.^[8] As in some of earlier races, Golden Lilac pulled hard in the early stages before being settled by Guyon. She took the lead in the straight and held off the challenge of Galikova to win by a length.^[9] After a break of more than two months, Golden Lilac returned to the racecourse in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville. She started favourite, but lost her unbeaten record, finishing third to Galikova. Golden Lilac did run again in 2011.

At the end of the year, Golden Lilac was voted Champion three-year-old filly by French journalists.^[10] In the 2011 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings, Golden Lilac was ranked the eighth best three-year-old filly in the world.^[11]

2012: four-year-old season

Golden Lilac made her first appearance in more than nine months when she contested the Prix d'Ispahan at Longchamp on 27 May. Starting at odds of 4.3/1 she pulled hard in the early stages before being moved up by Guyon to take the lead in the closing stages with a "potent turn of foot".^[12] She ran on strongly to win by three quarters of a length from the odds on favourite Cirrus des Aigles.^[13] After the race, Fabre described the win as "probably her best performance" and mentioned the Prince of Wales's Stakes and the Prix Jacques le Marois as possible future targets.^[14]

Golden Lilac made her next appearance in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on 13 July. She started 10/11 favourite, but ran poorly, finishing ninth of the ten runners behind Giofra. Fabre claimed that Golden Lilac was unsuited by the soft ground. Golden Lilac returned to France for the Prix Rothschild at Deauville for which she started 7/10 favourite. She finished second behind the English-trained three-year-old Elusive Kate, who led from the start and won by one and three quarter lengths. Golden Lilac ran again at Deauville in August when she raced against colts in the Prix Jacques le Marois. She finished seventh of the eleven runners behind Excelebration. Golden Lilac's connections were considering a run in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe when she fell ill in September and was retired to stud.^[15]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Golden Lilac (IRE), bay filly, 2008

Sire Galileo (IRE) 1998	Sadler's Wells 1981	Northern Dancer	Nearctic
			Natalma
		Fairy Bridge	Bold Reason
			Special
	Urban Sea 1989	Miswaki	Mr. Prospector
			Hopespringeternal
		Allegretta	Lombard
			Anatevka
Dam Grey Lilas (IRE) 2001	Danehill 1986	Danzig	Northern Dancer
			Pas de Nom
		Razyana	His Majesty
			Spring Adieu
	Kenmist 1994	Kenmare	Kalamoun
			Belle of Ireland
		Mistral's Collette	Simply Great
			Kitty's Sister (Family: 1-e)

References

1. "Gestut Ammerland News". www.gestuet-ammerland.com. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
2. "Prix Esmeralda". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
3. "Prix de la Grotte". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
4. "Fabre and Guyon double up in Classic trials". Thoroughbrednews.com.au. 2011-04-25. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
5. "Impressive Golden Lilac 'heading for the stars' after Pouliches stroll.". Thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
6. "Poule d'Essai des Pouliches". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
7. Schweitzer, Mary. "Golden Lilac Blooms in French 1,000 Guineas". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
8. "GOLDEN LILAC BLOOMS AT CHANTILLY". Sporting Life. 2010-03-12. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
9. "Prix de Diane". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
10. "www.gestuet-ammerland.com". www.gestuet-ammerland.com. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
11. "The 2011 World Thoroughbred Rankings". Horseracingintfed.com. Retrieved 2012-05-28.
12. "GOLDEN LILAC BLOSSOMS IN D'ISPAHAN". Sporting Life. 2010-03-12. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
13. "Prix d'Ispahan". Racing Post. 2011-06-02. Retrieved 2012-05-27.
14. James Pugh. "FRANCE Golden Lilac too good for Cirrus in Prix d'Ispahan". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-05-28.
15. Scott Burton (2012-09-15). "FRANCE Dual Classic heroine Golden Lilac retired". Racing Post. Retrieved 2012-12-11.