Kodiac's Best Solution Battles to Grosser Preis von Baden Success

   Godolphin's annus mirabilis continued apace as Best Solution (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) backed up a narrow triumph in last month's G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten and remained on course for attempts at the G1 Caulfield Cup and G1 Melbourne Cup with a game victory in Sunday's G1 146th Grosser Preis von Baden at the Iffezheim track, bettering his fifth in last year's renewal of the Longines-sponsored event. Set for quarantine in the coming days, the bay enjoyed a second winter in Dubai before bagging his July 12 European return in the G2 Princess of Wales's S. at Newmarket, and lobbed along behind a modest tempo in third for most of this stamina test. Making smooth headway on the home turn to challenge at the top of the straight, the 29-10 second favourite outbattled last year's hero and old foe Iquitos (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) under a drive well inside the final furlong before withstanding the renewed thrust of Defoe (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) in the dying strides. He hit the line a neck ahead of Defoe with Iquitos a half length adrift in third. “He did well to win at Newmarket and in Germany last time and he did it very nicely today,” trainer Saeed bin Suroor told Racing Post. “The plan is now to go to Australia for the [G1] Caulfield Cup and then the [G1] Melbourne Cup. He'll now go into quarantine in preparation for that.” Reflecting on the effort of runner-up Defoe, trainer Roger Varian added, “He ran a nice race, but I think the lack of pace leading to a sprint in the short straight didn't help. We'll take him home and make a decision about where to go next. There are no firm plans, he's a very talented horse anyway, but he's always better on softer ground.”

   Best Solution, half-brother to a yearling filly by Gutaifan (Ire), is the lone scorer produced by a half to Listed Winterkonigin-Trial victress Kosmiche (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), G2 Prix Hocquart and G3 Sandown Classic Trial runner-up Cape Clear Island (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and Listed Magnolia S. placegetter Squire Osbaldeston (Ire) (Mr. Greeley). His granddam is G3 Noblesse S. second Kushnarenkovo (GB) (Sadler's Wells), herself a daughter of GSW European highweight Eva Luna (Alleged) and thus a sibling of four black-type winners headed by MG1SW sire Brian Boru (GB) (Sadler's Wells). Kushnarenkovo is also a full-sister to the unraced dam of European champion and MG1SW sire Workforce (GB) (King's Best).

Sunday, Baden-Baden, Germany
146TH LONGINES GROSSER PREIS VON BADEN-G1, €250,000, Baden-Baden, 9-2, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:37.38, g/s.
1–BEST SOLUTION (IRE), 132, c, 4, by Kodiac (GB)
1st Dam: Al Andalyya, by Kingmambo
2nd Dam: Kushnarenkovo (GB), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Eva Luna, by Alleged
(32,000gns Wlg '14 TATFOA; 90,000gns Ylg '15 TAOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Cecil & Martin McCracken (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Pat Cosgrave. €150,000. Lifetime Record: MGSW-Eng, G1SP-Fr & SP-Tur, 21-8-2-3, €848,738. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Defoe (Ire), 132, c, 4, Dalakhani (Ire)–Dulkashe (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum; B-Darley (IRE); T-Roger Varian. €60,000.
3–Iquitos (Ger), 132, h, 6, Adlerflug (Ger)–Irika (Ger), by Areion (Ger). O-Stall Mulligan; B-Dr Erika Buhmann (GER); T-Hans-Jurgen Groschel. €25,000.
Margins: NK, HF, 3 3/4. Odds: 2.90, 1.80, 3.40.
Also Ran: Windstoss (Ger), Night Music (Ger), Dschingis Secret (Ger), Khan (Ger). Scratched: Rapido (Ger). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.