Coronations Stakes goes to Immortal Verse

Immortal Verse came from last to first to land the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot for France.

Storming into the lead inside the final furlong under a confident ride from Gerald Mosse, the Robert Collet-trained 8-1 shot quickly settled the issue.

Nova Hawk (9-2), also trained in France by Collet’s son, Rod, was two and a quarter lengths away in second.

Richard Fahey’s Barefoot Lady (16-1) was another half a length away in third.

The first question to be answered was when Memory, who virtually refused to race in the 1000 Guineas, got on terms with the rest of the field.

Irish challenger Claiomh Solais set a strong pace from Barefoot Lady, with Joviality also very handy and Immortal Verse held up at the rear of the field.

It was a very open race as they turned for home, but it was Immortal Verse, truculent in the stalls in the 1000 Guineas and subsequently withdrawn, who found the best turn of foot to pull clear of her rivals.

Speaking through a translator, Collet said: ``This filly is the best filly I have trained.

“At Newmarket she had a blind on to go into the stalls but there was a lot of wind and it irritated her.

“In the French Guineas things didn’t go to plan, so we forgot about that.

“You have to be really stubborn to come back and prove that you have a Group One filly.

“Her biggest asset is her turn of foot.”