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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