Well-bred youngsters win at Longchamp

Half-siblings to Goldikova and Bago were both successful in their maiden debuts at Longchamp on Saturday, on a day when Godolphin landed both Group 3 races on the card with French Navy and Prince Bishop.

Galikova, a Galileo half-sister to 10-time Group 1 winner Goldikova, had no trouble taking the one-mile Prix de la Cascade for unraced juvenile fillies as she cruised to a 1 1/2-length victory over Shmardanse, herself a half-sister to Group 3 winner Varevees. Warm Hands, a half-sister to Sheepshead Bay winner Treat Gently, came home fourth.

Trainer Freddy Head has nominated Galikova to the one-mile, Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc Day, Oct. 3, but said that she is much more likely to run in the one-mile, Group 3 Prix de Reservoirs at Deauville on Oct. 19. Head said that Goldikova “is in great form” for her Breeders’ Cup Mile prep in the seven-furlong Prix de la Foret on Arc Day.

Maxios, a Monsun half-brother to 2004 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Bago, was the easiest of four-length winners over Soviet Blue in the one-mile Prix de Fontenoy for unraced juvenile colts and geldings. Trainer Jonathan Pease is aiming him at the one-mile, Group 3 Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud on Oct. 7.

French Navy remained undefeated after his three-quarter-length win over Havane Smoker in the Group 3, $104,000 Prix des Chenes for 2-year-olds. Trained by Andre Fabre and ridden by Maxime Guyon, French Navy covered the mile on good to soft ground in 1:46.40, compared to Maxios’s time of 1:44.50 and Galikova’s 1:45.90. A son of Shamardal, French Navy will have a brief rest before running in the one-mile, Group 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud on Oct. 31.

The Godolphin/Fabre tandem was even more dominant in the Group 3, $104,000 Prix du Prince d’Orange for 3-year-olds, scoring a one-two knockout with Prince Bishop and Wealthy. A son of Dubawi, Prince Bishop was winning for the third time in a row as he led near the line to defeat his stablemate by a short neck, getting the 1 1/4 miles in 2:09.60.