Freddie Head-trained six-year-old mare Goldikova repeated her brilliance in the Gr-1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville, France, on Sunday, winning the race for a record fourth consecutive year and furthermore stretched her Group 1 wins to a whopping 14. The daughter of Anabaa has become the first to win a French Group 1 race four times in a row since the start of pattern-race program in 1971 and she achieved that with utmost ease, although the margin that separated her from the runner-up Sahpresa was a slender ‘short neck’.

It was a moment to cherish for jockey Oliver Peslier who took his personal record in Group 1 races to dizzy heights, reaching a mighty 100. Peslier settled Goldikova in second, behind the pacemaker Flash Dance for three quarters of the one-mile trip in good going. The 6-year-old made her move 1 1/2f out and she was cruising under Peslier, who was using just his hands and heels, as she took off with a furlong left and was eased up towards the finish to win far more comfortably than the verdict suggests. Commenting on the race, Peslier said, “It was just a nice piece of work and I never touched her with my whip. She just needed pushing out and there was still plenty of gas left in the tank at the end of the race. She is an exceptional horse and just loves the ambiance when racing at Deauville."

Speaking on the brilliance of the ‘Golden’ mare, trainer Head said, "I really have nothing to add and she is just a wonderful racehorse. Goldikova does everything in such a regular manner. She just does what she's used to be doing for such a long time. I think she might have been a little short of work when running second in the Queen Anne. The mare just loves Deauville."