By Tom Frary
So far at Goodwood this week, the front end has been the place to be in the races that matter most and that is good news for connections of Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) as she prepares to battle her elders for the first time in Thursday's G1 Qatar Nassau S. They include the gilt-edged 4-year-old Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}), but Hollie Doyle no doubt has a far greater tactical task than Aurelien Lemaitre on the French raider who is even drawn in one to add more bolster to her cause.
Yeguada Centurion's homebred is admirably straightforward, as she proved on her last three Group 1 starts which included the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane and that is always an advantage on this notoriously difficult track. “I think it is a very tactical racetrack and a very interesting one,” trainer Christopher Head said. “She has had a brilliant preparation and we are very happy with her and we can't wait to get to Goodwood races. She is a wonderful filly, the filly of my life for now, and I'm really happy to have the luck to train her. I can't wait to get into it, because there is such a good atmosphere at the races in the UK and it is really a unique feeling when you run a horse there.”
“The ground should not be any issue for her,” he added. “She has already encountered various tracks and there is no problem at any of them. We will need to see her run, but there is a project about seeing what she is capable of doing in a staying capacity, such as the Vermeille, just to see if she is capable of going further. We don't have the limit of the filly now–she looks like she can do everything! For now, she has the benefit of choice.”
Nashwa, who excelled on a contrastingly fast surface 12 months ago, was back to her excellent best last time in the G1 Falmouth S. but this is no doubt as far as she wants to go these days and the ground will only serve to make it a genuine test. Imad Al Sagar's racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe is hoping the Newmarket run will serve as a relaunch of the filly in 2023. “I think it was so encouraging the way she did it at Newmarket,” he said. “Everybody's faith has been repaid, as it were. She looked good and had done well over the winter and, if anything, might have done a bit too well.”
“She is a big, scopey filly and sometimes they just take a little while to come to themselves,” Grimthorpe added. “It was never that she worked badly, she was always going nicely, but I think after Newcastle it looked like she suddenly began to take hold of the bridle. It is a very interesting race and the French filly looks exceptional. We are always hopeful, but the good thing is she is going into the race how we'd want her to.”
With the French challenger new to this kind of test and Nashwa not certain to perform to last year's standard, the way could be open to either Shadwell's fast-improving G3 Hoppings S. winner Al Husn (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) or to last year's G1 Prix Saint-Alary-winning TDN Rising Star Above The Curve (American Pharoah). Both have had Nashwa behind this season and if the latter is allowed an easy time in front she will be dangerous as she proved in the G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud in May.
Blue Rose Cen wins the Prix de Diane!
More Classic glory at @fgchantilly for Christopher Head and @lemaitre60LA… pic.twitter.com/YvSoZUoOC1
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 18, 2023
Is Vandeek The Answer In Beleaguered Richmond?
With Clive Cox withdrawing the G2 July S. winner and likely hot favourite Jasour (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) and Aidan O'Brien also opting to leave TDN Rising Star Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) at home, Goodwood's G2 Markel Richmond S. has become much more open on Thursday. KHK Racing Ltd's 625,000gns joint-topper at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) made the ideal start to his career over this six-furlong trip at Nottingham last month and has all the upside that is required for one of these.
“He looked a bit inexperienced at Nottingham and just fell out the stalls, but with the ground the way it is–it was soft when he won there–it will help,” Ed Crisford said. “He seems to have come on for that mentally for the last few weeks, so we thought we'd take a chance. If he can take a step forward from his maiden win, we'll be pleased. He is one for the future and it is not all about this.”
That also applies to Manton Park Racing's five-length Newbury novice winner Sketch (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) from the Freddie and Martyn Meade stable. The dam, by Siyouni (Fr), is kin to Prolific (Ire) (Compton Place {GB}) who took this on good-to-firm in 2008. “Obviously it is quite a quick turnaround, but he was a true professional at Newbury,” Freddie said. “It looks a tough renewal, but I think he showed he's entitled to be there and he is a big, strong horse and it is not all about this season. Not many can do what he did first time out and the sectional times were good if you compare them to the Hackwood.”
I Spy A Leger Horse?
Goodwood's G3 John Pearce Racing Gordon S. is all about St Leger prospects, with the mile-and-a-half contest attracting Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Espionage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Last year's G1 Criterium International runner-up was up to near this trip for the first time when making a belated start to the season in Roscommon's Listed Lenebane S. and is on that familiar upward curve that the Rosegreen runners do so well. Also here is The King's last chance of a Classic winner in his inaugural year as owner of the Royal runners, the King George V H.-winning fellow TDN Rising Star Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), while Godolphin's Listed Glasgow S. scorer Chesspiece (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) looks the type to relish the deep ground.
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