By Tom Frary
Capping an amazing opening day for Shadwell and Jim Crowley, Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) completed a notable treble with a hard-fought victory in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. Also providing John Gosden with a double on the day, the impressive June 3 Listed Snowdrop Fillies' S. winner confirmed her continuing upward mobility arriving from mid-division to wear down Agincourt (Ire) (Declaration of War) in the final 100 yards and score by a head, with 2 1/2 lengths back to Queen Power (Ire) (Shamardal) in third. While this year's Royal meeting will forever be remembered for the lack of people in attendance, it will linger long for Crowley who said, “This is a special day. I thought Motakhayyel (GB) (Heeraat {Ire}) would win when no-one else did. It was great to make it third time lucky on Battaash and Nazeef was coming into this race off the back of a nice win in the Snowdrop and she toughed it out really well. She has done nothing but improve with every run.”
Nazeef has come a long way in a brief period, having shed her maiden tag only in July in over seven furlongs at Newmarket. Adding a Chelmsford mile novice contest to her tally in early September, the bay followed that with a six-length handicap success over Newmarket's Rowley Mile before capitalising on the penalty carried by the G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Sun Chariot S. heroine Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) in the Snowdrop on Kempton's Polytrack.
Gosden holds the winner in the highest regard. “She is the sweetest filly–you go into the barn and she is the first to come and say hello to you. She is very affectionate and very genuine and very brave,” he said. “She did nothing but improve last year. She went right through the handicap ranks and came into listed this year. I think she deserves a little rest now, a good four weeks and there's a great race called the [G1] Falmouth [at Newmarket]. She is by Invincible Spirit and they take a little dig in the ground. In the end they went hard and she outstayed them.”
“The owner has never kept fillies in training. I did ask to keep Taghrooda in training as a four-year-old, because I thought she would have been invincible, but actually he doesn't believe in that,” he added. “He did keep Enbihaar in training last year and she won all those group 2s, so Angus Gold got down on the other knee and asked if we could keep this filly in training and here she is winning a Royal Ascot group 2 at four. I think if you select the right ones to keep in training, it can be a wonderful time for them. Sheikh Hamdan is a huge part of our industry and I think for him to have a treble on the first day of Ascot–what a huge achievement.”
Nazeef is a daughter of the Listed Garnet S. winner Handassa (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is in turn a half to the GII San Gabriel S. winner and GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile third Desert Stone (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and the G3 Darley S. scorer Euginio (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). The unraced second dam Starstone (GB) (Diktat {GB}) is a half to the Bahamian Bounty (GB) pair of group 1-winning sprinters Pastoral Pursuits (GB) and Goodricke (GB). Handassa's 3-year-old colt Musahaba (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) is yet to race, while she also has the 2-year-old colt Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).
Tuesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE S.-G2, £100,000, Ascot, 6-16, 4yo/up, f, 8fT, 1:40.57, g/s.
1–NAZEEF (GB), 126, f, 4, by Invincible Spirit (Ire)
1st Dam: Handassa (GB) (SW-Ire), by Dubawi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Starstone (GB), by Diktat (GB)
3rd Dam: Star (GB), by Most Welcome (GB)
1ST GROUP WIN. O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Jim Crowley. £59,200. Lifetime Record: 6-5-0-1, $123,958. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Agincourt (Ire), 126, m, 5, Declaration of War–El Diamante (Fr), by Royal Applause (GB). O/B-Sir Robert Ogden (IRE); T-David O'Meara. £22,390.
3–Queen Power (Ire), 126, f, 4, Shamardal–Princess Serena, by Unbridled's Song. (500,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Roundhill Stud (IRE); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £11,190.
Margins: HD, 2HF, 2HF. Odds: 3.33, 28.00, 3.00.
Also Ran: Iconic Choice (GB), Posted (GB), Wasmya (Fr), Lavender's Blue (Ire), Invitational (GB), Magic Lily (GB), Jubiloso (GB). Scratched: Miss O Connor (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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