Immortal Verse downs Goldikova after an impressive run in the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois
The Irish bred Immortal Verse denied Goldikova from landing her 15th Group 1 victory, when the two geldings ran in the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on 15 August, 2011, on grass.
In a field of 12 colts, fillies and mares, all 3-year-olds and above, Immortal Verse had to run on a surface,good and soft, under jockey Gerald Mosse.
The 3-year-old bay filly is the daughter of Pivotal, out of Side of Paradise by Sadler’s Wells.
Immortal Verse displayed a sparkling turn of foot as she followed up her success at the Royal Ascot when she ran in the Coronations Stakes.
The six-year-old bay mare, Goldikova, was beaten in the Prix Jacques le Marois last year as well, and she was certainly not helped by her wide draw in stall number 11. Her usual jockey, Olivier Peslier, aboard had little choice but to drop the champion mare
back at the rear of the field.
The two Goldikova pace makers, Flash Dance and Polemique, had a good run and ensured that the race was a run race in its true nature. Goldikova responded positively when she was asked to put in a little extra effort.
The three times Breeders’ Cup Mile winner was pushed to a wider position by Planteur, who was all over the place but even then Goldikova got herself into a position where she gave herself every chance to go across the furlong marker.
However, Goldikova was no match for the speed shown by the daughter of Pivotal, Immortal Verse, as her impressive turn of foot proved to be too much in the end.
Immortal Verse had the benefit of breaking from stall number 6, but despite that advantage, the filly had to cover considerable ground from the rear.
Immortal Verse went on to built an impressive record by winning four races out of her seven starts, and jockey Gerald Mosse said prior to the race that the absolutely supreme daughter of Anabaa, Goldikova, will not go on to register a second victory in the
race this year.
Goldikova won the race back in 2009, and her rapidly improving filly has downed her rival to keep her from winning the race for the second time.
Trainer Robert Collet described her filly as "out of the ordinary" and after the impressive win over Goldikova, the trainer hasn’t ruled out the possibility of meeting the unbeaten Frankel in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes which would require a trip back
to Ascot.
Goldikova raced after 15 days, and jockey Olivier Peslier added that it might’ve been a quick return to the field. Trainer Freddy Head took it on the chin and said there are no excuses, she is 6 years old now and time has finally caught up with her.
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