Goldikova won her third Breeders' Cup Mile at Churchill Downs on Saturday
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)Goldikova to remain in training next season
TRAINER Freddie Head has revealed that Gerard and Alain Wertheimer, owner-breeders of Goldikova, have decided to keep the supermare in training as a six-year-old.
Head had on Sunday described the possibility of the most successful horse in Breeders' Cup history returning for more glory in America next year as "50-50".
But Head, who was still in Kentucky on Monday afternoon, told the Racing Post that the Wertheimer brothers had decided to allow their record-breaking mare to race on for another season.
"Goldikova is very well after her race and you wouldn't know she's had one," said Head. "The Wertheimers have decided to keep her in training and naturally I am very happy. It was a decision they made themselves.
"Next year I am thinking about campaigning her in just the summer and the autumn, so I'm not too sure if she would go back to Royal Ascot [in June] again."
Goldikova's third win in the Breeders' Cup Mile capped a brilliant 2010, which saw her break Miesque's European record for Group/Grade 1 wins, taking her tally to 12.
A winner of 15 of her 21 career starts, she kicked off her campaign with a defeat of subsequent Prince of Wales's Stakes winner Byword over 1m1f in the Prix d'Ispahan before herself becoming a Royal Ascot winner, landing the Queen Anne from Paco Boy.
Goldikova next landed the Prix Rothschild in emphatic fashion. Her only defeat this season came in heavy conditions in the Prix Jacques le Marois, when 2,000 Guineas winner Makfi handled the conditions better.
But she finished ahead of Paco Boy on that occasion and the Richard Hannon-trained colt would again find the mare, who defeated him on all five meetings, one too good in the Prix de la Foret on Arc day.
Head added: "Goldikova appears to be improving with age as her Group 1 successes this year total five and have been over distances of seven furlongs to 1m1¼f."
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