Excelebration faces tough test in race of the season

RACING/DEAUVILLE:THE AIDAN O'Brien-trained Excelebration takes on eight other individual Group One winners in what may very well be the race of the season in tomorrow's Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville.

Excelebration was set a hopeless task of trying to defeat Frankel in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot – eventually losing out by 11 lengths – but was successful at the top level in the Prix du Moulin and now faces Dubai Duty Free star Cityscape and Most Improved, who returned to form with a bang in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

However, Ryan Moore’s mount faces a more potent threat in Europe’s top sprinter, the Freddie Head-trained Midnight Cloud, who finished just a head behind Black Caviar at Royal Ascot before running away with the Prix Maurice de Gheest for the second year in a row last weekend.

William Buick stays loyal to Fallen For You over John Gosden’s other runner Elusive Kate, who will be ridden by Frankie Dettori.

Andre Fabre’s highly-regarded Golden Lilac and Immortal Verse, who toppled Head’s mighty Goldikova in last year’s renewal of the Normandy track’s feature race, are also engaged.

Immortal Verse appeared in need of her comeback run when behind Elusive Kate and Golden Lilac in the Prix Rothschild.

“It looks like they’re all in there,” said Head. “She’s taken the race very well and has done nothing since – we’re keeping her fresh for Sunday.”

Head is unconcerned about Moonlight Cloud tackling a mile for just the second time – she was only seventh in last year’s 1,000 Guineas on her other attempt.

“It’s going to be a tough race, it’s a top-class Group One and I don’t worry about the distance – I think she will get the distance,” he said. “She’s changed a lot since last year, she doesn’t pull as much as she used to.”

Brian Meehan’s Most Improved was a winter gamble for the 2,000 Guineas but did not make the race. After getting stuck in the crossfire of a brutal French Derby, the colt beat many of the Guineas also-rans at Royal Ascot. “The spring was very disappointing for us all, but he went to Ascot and proved us right,” said Meehan.

“The Sussex Stakes was always a huge consideration, but this horse is French-bred so it made sense to go to France at some stage with him and the Jacques le Marois was the ideal race.”