Middleton Fillies’ S. First Up For Star Filly Nashwa

Dual Group 1 winner Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who took the 2022 G1 Prix de Diane with Hollie Doyle aboard, is pointing toward the May 18 G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' S. at York for her 4-year-old bow.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden for Imad Al Sagar's Blue Diamond Stud, the bay is in good form, and, if the ground is unsuitable at York, she could be re-routed to the G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury two days later.

“She stays in training and has wintered well,” said Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for Nashwa's owner Imad Al Sagar. “She hasn't done much and probably at this stage we're aiming at the Middleton at York and then we would see how we go from there.

“The mile-and-a-quarter races would be her initial targets anyway I would imagine, but I suppose if the ground came up very soft for some reason at York and if the ground was all right at Newbury she might divert to the Lockinge. At the moment though, the plan is to look at the Middleton and Imad is happy with that plan.”

Third in the G1 Oaks at Epsom last spring, she eked out a short neck victory in the Chantilly Classic and made it two top tier races on the bounce with a 1 3/4-length score in the Nassau S. at Goodwood in July. A too-good-to-lose second in the G1 Prix de l'Opera on Arc Day Nashwa ran fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland in November. Trips to France for the G1 Prix Jean Romanet, as well as clashing with males in open Group 1s are on the table for later in the season.

“There's the Prince Of Wales's, Eclipse and Juddmonte if you are being really brave,” Grimthorpe continued. “Otherwise, there are nice races in Deauville and all those nice fillies races all around the Nassau which she won last year as well, so there is a good programme for her.”

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Nashwa Takes Up The Mantle In The Nassau

After the wins of Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) on the first two days of the Qatar Goodwood Festival, it is up to Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to maintain the stranglehold of the favourites in the meeting's premier contests on Thursday. Looking a standout in the feature G1 Qatar Nassau S., Imad Al Sagar's G1 Prix de Diane heroine gets nine pounds from the older fillies and mares in a race which has been won by the Classic generation in seven of the last 10 editions. Third in the G1 Oaks, where stamina was probably the main issue, she is the apple of Thady Gosden's eye and he said, “She ran a very good race in the Oaks at Epsom, she just didn't quite see out the mile and a half. She's a well-balanced filly with excellent tactical speed. She switches off well, we think she'll handle the track and she's very versatile technically as well.”

 

The Dream Is Still Alive

If there is one among the older brigade who could defy the weight-for-age, it is the impressive May 29 G1 Prix d'Ispahan winner Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) who was undone by easy ground when subsequently sixth in the G1 Pretty Polly S. at the Curragh June 26. This has been Ed Walker's target for some time and all the boxes are ticked. “The ground was the problem at the Curragh last time and also she got a bit crowded, which made her a bit keen,” he explained. “Keenness has always been a bit of a thing for her, but she's been quite good this year. On that ground, though, Kieran [Shoemark] said she was wheel-spinning. We can put a line through that. The win in the Prix d'Ispahan was great. It was really quick ground there–I walked the track and there's no way it was the good-to-soft that they were calling it–but she settled great that day. When she settles she has a deadly turn of foot and the faster the ground the better.”

 

The Long And Winding Road

Jon and Julia Aisbitt have had some smart fillies down the years who have come close to this standard, including Malabar (GB) (Raven's Pass) who won two group races here, and there is the prospect that the William Haggas-trained Lilac Road (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) could be the best they have bred. Third on her sole visit to this track in the Listed Conqueror Fillies' S. last May, the homebred was only fifth behind Dreamloper and Ville De Grace (GB) (Le Havre {Ire}) in the nine-furlong G2 Dahlia S. at Newmarket a year later but bounced out of that race to win York's G2 Middleton Fillies' S. just 11 days later. From a stable which has lines to every top-class filly and mare in Europe, she has to be respected despite needing further progression to land a prize such as this. “The only reason she hasn't run since is that there aren't many races for fillies when they've won their Group 2,” her trainer explained. “There's only really the Pretty Polly, in which we ran two others. Also it was soft ground, which she doesn't want. She's fresh and well and she's in good shape. She'll run a good race, but whether she's quite up to that class we'll find out.”

 

Royal Approval

Goodwood's G2 Richmond S. was once one of the most important juvenile races in the calendar, but the recent record of the race which once boasted the likes of J. O. Tobin and Warning is distinctly hit-and-miss. Paul Cole was one of its biggest fans in his heyday in the 80s and 90s and it seems significant that the three-times-winning Whatcombe legend has targeted it with the Hayses' exciting Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}). Off the mark by five lengths over this track and six-furlong trip May 20, he went on to finish third in the June 14 G2 Coventry S. and of those who were behind him in that novice the re-opposing Bluelight Bay (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) has won at Windsor June 25, Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) captured the competitive maiden here on Tuesday and Show Respect (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) has been second in the G2 July S. Oliver Cole now shares the trainer's licence and said, “The horse is in really good form and we decided to skip the July S. at Newmarket, because he's a big horse and we wanted to give him a bit more time between races as he's still growing. He ran in the Coventry on pretty quick ground and I don't think the ground worries him. We didn't have enough cover in the Coventry, so arguably there's improvement there.”

 

More Lurkers?

Tuesday and Wednesday's pattern races for the 2-year-olds here were won by unexposed types setting foot in that company for the first time and the Richmond has an intriguing pair in Raed El Youssef's Al Karrar (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Other hopefuls include Balding's dual winner Chateau, Tom Clover's impressive Windsor scorer Al Karrar and Nick Bradley Racing and Elaine Burke's Marshman (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}). Successful on debut by 3 3/4 lengths in a Windsor maiden over this trip June 20, Shadwell's Goffs Autumn cast-off Al Karrar has been kept fresh for this by Tom Clover and it is telling that the fifth home at Windsor, Swift Asset (Ire) (Profitable {Ire}), is the chosen representative of the Richard Hannon stable always keen to target this. Marshman warrants respect as Karl Burke's representative and he gave all the right vibes on his winning debut at Ayr July 3. “His work at home has been excellent. He's been working with Lethal Levi, Holloway Boy and Cold Case which are some of Karl's fastest colts,” Bradley said. “When he won he was a little green, he made a mess of the start and was again green at the finish, but he's probably my best chance of the week on the figures.”

 

How Ya Doin?

Not seen since his surprise second in the Derby, the £1.2-million colt Hoo Ya Mal (GB) (Territories {Ire}) reappears in the G3 John Pearce Racing Gordon S. under the auspices of George Boughey. Three times the price of last year's Blue Riband runner-up Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) at 150-1 at Epsom June 4, Go Bloodstock's representative looks to boost that form after it took a knock in the King George. “His work is good, he's the highest-rated horse in the race and he goes there with a good chance,” Boughey said. “He's in the Leger and while he's not in at York [in the Great Voltigeur], he could go to York–the plan is pretty fluid at the moment, what he does over here. I'd like to see him in the Leger and I think that's very much the plan for Gai and Adrian [Bott].” Charlie Appleby has saddled four runners over the first two days of the festival and has had two winners, a second and a third with New London (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) the forecast favourite following his handicap win at Newmarket's July Festival. Abdulla Al Mansoori's 'TDN Rising Star' West Wind Blows (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was ninth in the Derby after starting off too fast and has since shown that he has come off that experience a better horse when winning Hamilton's Listed Glasgow S. by 7 1/2 lengths 13 days ago.

 

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Goodwood Goals For Walker Fillies

Group 1 winner Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and Primo Bacio (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) will both be aimed at the Goodwood Festival later this month, trainer Ed Walker has revealed. The former, who races in the silks of J. Fill, ran third in last season's G1 Sun Chariot S. before posting a win in the May 1 G2 Dahlia S. and, in a new career best, the G1 Prix d'Ispahan at ParisLongchamp on May 29. She was sixth last out at the Curragh in the G1 Pretty Polly S. on June 26 and is bound for the July 28 G1 Nassau S.

“She's great, thankfully she's come out of the Curragh really well,” said Walker. “It was a bit of a no show really and if I had my time again, I would have scratched her. It was a bit of a shame as we ummed and ahed over whether to go. We were always going to the Pretty Polly, then changed our minds and were thinking [G1] Falmouth [S.] and then back to the Pretty Polly and as it turned out the Falmouth on very fast ground would have been the better spot probably.

“But that's life and she's come out of the race good and now we'll head to the Nassau S. and hope this weather holds good and we get some good summer ground. An easy 10 furlongs should be ideal for her.”

A winner at listed level in 2021, Primo Bacio ran third to Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) in the G2 Duke Of Cambridge S. at Royal Ascot. The David Ward colourbearer returned in the July 8 G1 Falmouth S. but could only manage fourth after showing some early interest and fading in the final furlong. The G3 Oak Tree S. is next on her agenda.

Walker added, “It was a solid run [in the Falmouth], if not slightly disappointing. It probably wasn't up to the same level as her performance in it the previous year, but she ran fine. It was hard to make up ground and the pace held up well.

“We're going to lower our sights with her a little bit and bring her back in trip. We could head to the Oak Tree at Goodwood.”

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O’Brien Gives Update on Goodwood Team

Aidan O'Brien will send a strong Ballydoyle challenge to the Qatar Goodwood Festival next week, and has a trio of colts ready to step forward in the G1 Qatar Sussex S.-Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), Order Of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Battleground (War Front). Runner-up in the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot, the MG1SP Lope Y Fernandez won the Listed Heritage S. at Leopardstown in April. GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Order Of Australia was last seen in action taking the G2 Minstrel S. at The Curragh on July 18 and Battleground, a Group 2 winner, exits the G1 Prix Jean Prat on July 11 with a ninth-place run.

O'Brien said of the Coolmore partners' runners, “Order Of Australia has come out of the race [on Sunday] well. He cantered today and yesterday and he's very well. It's very possible that he could go. Obviously when he only ran at the weekend, we'd like to get him back in full work for four or five days and do the right thing for the horse.

“We have the choice of running here or going to the Lennox S., but at the moment we're thinking of the Sussex. He worked this morning and we were very happy with him.”

He added of Battleground, “He ran a very big race in Ascot. He was a little bit disappointing the last day, but he was drawn out on a wing and he's a horse that likes to get cover.

“We've been very happy with him since and we think Goodwood will suit him–we think he'll leave that run behind him and come right back to his Ascot run and better. It's very possible that he could go to the Sussex as well.”

The G1 Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup S. could also feature three from Rosegreen, with 2020 G1 Derby hero Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), 2020 G1 Irish Derby victor Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) and June 27 G2 Comer Group International Curragh Cup winner Amhran Na Bhfiann (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) all likely to start.

“We think coming back to two miles will help Santiago and Amhran Na Bhfiann the same,” said O'Brien. “There's a chance that Serpentine will run as well. We were thinking two of the three, we just haven't decided yet which two.”

O'Brien's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas one-two Empress Josephine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire} and Joan Of Arc (Ire) (Galile {Ire}), who subsequently won the G1 Prix de Diane, both hold an entry in the G1 Qatar Nassau S.

“The two fillies we were training for it [the Nassau] are Joan Of Arc, who won the Diane, and Empress Josephine,” said O'Brien. “Joan Of Arc has been progressing lovely all season and we've been looking at this with her for a good while. Empress Josephine could step up to a mile and a quarter to run [in] it as well. That's not definite, but it's very possible.”

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