Son of 4.7 million gns broodmare Immortal Verse makes winning Newmarket debut

Battle For Glory lived up to his name when the well-related son of War Front showed a willing attitude to make a winning debut in the Racegoers Club 50th Anniversary EBF Novice Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.

The John Gosden-trained colt cut out the early running and, having been headed around four furlongs out, stuck on gamely to prevail by a nose having regained the lead inside the closing stages.

Representing an ownership group comprising of the Coolmore partners and Merriebelle Stables, Battle For Glory is the second foal out of Immortal Verse, who landed the 2011 runnings of the Coronation Stakes and the Prix Jacques Le Marois.

The daughter of Pivotal was also a useful juvenile, having made a winning debut over 6½f before she finished runner-up to Helleborine - now the dam of Calyx - in the Group 3 Prix D'Aumale.

View full result and replay

However, Immortal Verse is probably be best remembered for setting a then European-record price for a broodmare when she sold to the BBA Ireland on behalf of a Coolmore partnership for 4.7 million gns to top the 2013 edition of the Tattersalls December Sale.

She was offered at Park Paddocks carrying a Dansili colt in utero. That colt was subsequently named Literary Society and put into training with Freddy Head, though he failed to sparkle in three racecourse appearances and was sold to Success Bloodstock Agency for just €1,500 at this year's Arqana Summer Sale.

Immortal Verse also has a yearling colt by War Front - who stood the 2018 breeding season at a fee of $250,000 - and was among the 217 mares that visited Coolmore newcomer Caravaggio earlier this year.

War Front: sire of 19 Group/Grade 1 winners

She hails from a deep Kilfrush Stud family that also includes Group/Grade 1 winners Last Tycoon, Sense Of Style, Valentine Waltz and The United States.

This season has been a hugely fruitful one for Pivotal's broodmare daughters, having been represented by 21 European stakes winners in this department.

Battle For Glory is the only runner on the Racing Post database who is by War Front - sire of 19 Group/Grade 1 winners - and out of a Pivotal mare.

However, an extension of this cross was seen to good effect earlier in the year when Olmedo, by the War Front stallion Declaration Of War and out of the Pivotal mare Super Pie, won the Poule d'Essai des Poulains.

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