By Sean Cronin
Imad Al Sagar's 3-year-old filly Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) ran third contesting a hot Newmarket novices' heat over seven furlongs in her only prior start last October and illuminated Haydock's Saturday fixture with an impressive 6 1/2-length romp to earn 'TDN Rising Star' status on seasonal return in the Pendleton EBF Fillies' Novice S., going just shy of one mile. The eventual winner was reined back to employ patient tactics behind the leaders in fifth after a sharp getaway. Looming large out wide on the bridle passing the quarter-mile marker, the G1 Epsom Oaks entry and 13-8 favourite cruised to the front soon after and bounded clear under minimal coxing inside the final furlong to easily outclass stablemate Wonderful Times (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}) by daylight and justify her Rising Star embellishment.
“It was her first run of the season and she was a little fresh early, but Hollie [Doyle] got her into cover and, when she pulled her out and asked her the question, she quickened up nicely,” said trainer Thady Gosden. “The ground was probably a little too quick for her and I think we'd probably have to go for an Oaks trial after that performance. Owner Imad Al Sagar also bred the filly and any owner-breeder's target is the Oaks, so we'll pop her in a trial now and see where we go from there.”
Nashwa, half-sister to a yearling filly by Decorated Knight (GB), is the third of four foals and second scorer produced by stakes-winning G1 Prix Jean Romanet runner-up Princess Loulou (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), herself a half-sister to Listed Pomfret S. third Easy Target (Fr) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). Descendants of the May-foaled homebred bay's dual stakes-placed third dam Sweeping (GB) (Indian King), herself out of G3 Prix d'Arenberg winner Glancing (GB) (Grundy {Ire}), include G1 Middle Park S.-winning sire Awzaan (GB) (Alhaarth {Ire}), G2 Keio Hai Nisai S. winner Ball Lightning (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) and GIII Will Rogers S. victor Media Mogul (GB) (First Trump {GB}).
4th-Haydock, £9,200, Nov, 4-23, 3yo, f, 7f 212yT, 1:40.22, g/f.
NASHWA (GB), f, 3, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Princess Loulou (Ire) (SW-Eng, G1SP-Fr & GSP-Ire, $175,317), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Aiming (GB), by Highest Honor (Fr)
3rd Dam: Sweeping (GB), by Indian King
Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $8,115. O-Imad Al Sagar; B-Blue Diamond Stud Farm (UK) Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.
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