Goldikova tops males again to win Queen Anne Stakes on opening day at Royal Ascot

Champion mare Goldikova wins at Royal Ascot

ASCOT, England — Champion mare Goldikova won the Queen Anne Stakes on opening day at Royal Ascot, beating Paco Boy by a neck on Tuesday for her sixth victory over male horses.

Goldikova held off a late challenge by Paco Boy in her debut at the prestigious meet attended by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

By winning, Goldikova enhanced her credentials as one of the best female horses in the world.

The 5-year-old from Ireland is a two-time Breeders’ Cup Mile winner and the 2009 Eclipse Award champion as the top female turf horse. Goldikova has 12 victories in 17 career starts. The goal this year is winning the Breeders’ Cup Mile for a third time in November at Churchill Downs.

Goldikova has twice as many wins over boys than U.S. Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra. Goldikova has six wins over males in Group 1 races; Rachel Alexandra beat the boys in the Preakness, Haskell Invitational and Woodward; and unbeaten Zenyatta won the Breeders’ Cup Classic in her lone race against males.

Ridden by Olivier Peslier, Goldikova was sent off as the 11-8 favorite in the mile race, which drew a field of nine. Paco Boy, who won this race last year, made a strong run in the stretch but came up short.

“When Paco Boy came I was a little scared, but when she gets to the front she is never beaten,” winning trainer Freddie Head said. “She always finds something else. She is extraordinary.”

Dream Eater was third, followed by Zacinto, Dalghar, Rip Van Winkle, Ouqba, Cat Junior and Calming Influence.

Later, Paco Boy’s jockey Richard Hughes came through with a victory aboard Canford Cliffs in the St. James’s Palace Stakes.

Canford Cliffs, winner of the Irish 2000 Guineas, overtook Dick Turpin with a late surge for the win, with Hearts of Fire finishing third. Noble’s Promise, who finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby, was fifth again.

Also, Equiano won the King’s Stand Stakes for the second year in a row.