Only five go to post yet it’s a classy fillies Group 1 event over a mile that kicks off the Deauville summer feast.

Two four year olds take on three three year olds.

The elder fillies Golden Lilac and Immortal Verse are both Group 1 winners already. In the case of the former Golden Lilac trained by Andre Fabre, top honours were gained last year in the Poule D’Essai Des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas) and Prix Diane (French Oaks). She added the Prix D’Ispahan this year defeating Cirrus Des Aigles and Planteur.

Immortal Verse was also a dual Group 1 winner last year taking the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Prix Jacques Le Marois here at Deauville both over a mile. She further enhanced her reputation on a return to Ascot on Champions Day where she was a good third to Frankel and Excelebration. She then ran in the Mile Championship in Kyoto in November where the season and the travel caught up with her finishing seventh.

Of the three year olds Sagawarra and Elusive Kate both carry Group 1 credentials . The Aga Khan owned and Alain De Royer-Dupre trained filly won the Prix Saint-Alary at Lonchamp in May by a neck from Rjwa while John Gosden’s Elusive Kate captured the Prix Marcel Boussac from Fire Lily on Arc day. That means only one has not scored at the top table, Mashoora. The Jean Claud Rouget trained filly has won two Group 3’s and was second in the Prix Sandringham a Group 2 over a mile at Chantilly.

On balance then there’s not a lot between the field and their all capable of getting their noses in front.

Golden Lilac disappointed last time in the Falmouth when going off an odds on favourite. She never got in a blow and trailed in tenth behind Giofra with Elusive Kate, who was making her seasonal debut, running a cracker a 1/2 L behind in second. It’s probably best to forgive Golden Lilac the run at Newmarket as it was the only bad run of her career however it did leave one with the suspicion she finds the mile a bit on the sharp side now. That should open the door for Elusive Kate to confirm superiority gained in the Falmouth though the risk here is though she’ll come on for the run two weeks for recovery may not be enough. If that’s the case it might fall to Sagawarra who has the benefit of fitness and a six week rest however the mile may also prove too sharp.

That leaves the Robert Collet trained Immortal Verse, she is a genuine miler having put in four very good efforts at the distance last year.Though it will be difficult first time out she has the class to do it.

Recommendation Immortal Verse 5/1 win