By Tom Frary
Like stablemate Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), there is a sense that Ballydoyle's Opera Singer (Justify) is only just beginning to get her season underway as she steps up to a mile and a quarter for the first time in Thursday's G1 Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood. Reportedly ring-rusty when third in the G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas at The Curragh and looking in need of further than a mile when runner-up in Royal Ascot's G1 Coronation Stakes, last year's impressive G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine has the opportunity to truly express herself once again.
“Obviously she is stepping up to a mile and a quarter from a mile for the first time and we think that is going to be really interesting,” Aidan O'Brien said. “We were delighted with her at Ascot, really. That was just her second run and, to be honest, we couldn't believe how well she'd run first time in the Irish Guineas, given the setback she had in the spring. We thought her Ascot run was very good and obviously the form has been franked as Donnacha's filly came out and won the Falmouth at the July meeting. She's an exceptional filly, so she lost little in defeat.”
What Next For Emily Upjohn?
While this trip could bring out the best in Opera Singer, it may be that she is simply not as good as the seasoned Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) whose fortunes it is fair to say have been mixed since storming on to the scene early in her 3-year-old career. Brilliant despite being narrowly denied in the 2022 Oaks and in capturing the G1 Coronation Cup last term, she is unbeatable when things fall right but has yet to convince this trip is her thing and needs to race with more restraint than when suffering another reversal in the G1 Pretty Polly Stakes.
While the winner of that Curragh contest, Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}), has thoroughly franked the form in the King George and the third Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was probably the moral winner of the Irish Oaks in the interim, the Gosdens' mare showed a tendency to overdo it there once again and a similar tendency on this tricky circuit could compromise her.
“She wasn't entered originally, because the plan was to go for the Pretty Polly and then maybe go on to Ascot for the King George, but we decided after the Curragh to stay at a mile and a quarter and go against the fillies again, then step her back up to a mile and a half again in the Yorkshire Oaks,” John Gosden explained. “She's a top-of-the-ground filly and she ran a great race at the Curragh, but that rain came and she's not happy on it. She's won on it, but it's not her best surface. All being well, she'll run a big one.”
Plenty To Offer…
The Nassau has drawn the G1 Prix de Diane winner every year since 2019, with two completing the double and it falls to Sparkling Plenty (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) to attempt the feat this time. Now part-owned by Al Shaqab Racing, Jean Pierre Dubois's homebred needs to improve on that but showed dramatic acceleration which will serve her well in this affair. Interestingly, despite the speed advantage of the Patrice Cottier-trained Chantilly Classic heroine, Al Shaqab have supplemented the Ralph Beckett-trained Doha (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) as a possible pacemaker.
More To Come From Elmalka?
Like Opera Singer moved up from a mile for the first time, Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's G1 1,000 Guineas heroine Elmalka (GB) (Kingman {GB}) has strong claims as a daughter of the middle-distance star Nahrain (GB) (Selkirk). Fourth in the Coronation, trainer Roger Varian thinks the step up in trip will bring about further improvement from the homebred who remains dangerously unexposed. “We're looking forward to running Elmalka, she's really well and she looks like she is ready to step up to 10 furlongs,” he said.
“It will give us some direction for the autumn and we entered her for the Prix de la Opera this week and she will probably have an entry back at a mile in the Sun Chariot. She's in great form and has done nothing wrong all year, even her run at Ascot was a great run under the circumstances, so we're very excited to run her. It looks a strong race but we decided to get her out again.”
Strikin Impression…
To say that Thursday is a big day in the life of Hamad Al-Jehani is an understatement, with the Qatari-based trainer preparing to saddle Wathnan Racing's acquisition The Strikin Viking (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}) in the G2 Richmond Stakes. Off the mark in a warm contest at York in mid-June, he was second to Ballydoyle's Henri Matisse (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in The Curragh's G2 Railway Stakes later that month so has the previous required to make an impact.
“He's a big, imposing colt and it's not just about this year with him,” Richard Brown said. “He was on our radar after he won at York and I thought he was impressive at the Curragh. He's a thoroughly likeable colt with a big engine and he gave James a great feel last week. We're looking forward to running him in Wathnan's colours for Hamad.”
Further pattern-race form is provided by Teme Valley Racing's Andrew Balding-trained maiden Tropical Storm (GB) (Eqtidaar {Ire}) who chased home Wathnan's Shareholder (Not This Time) in Royal Ascot's G2 Norfolk Stakes, while the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained Billboard Star (GB) (Advertise {GB}) was second to the Norfolk fourth Whistlejacket (Ire) (No Nay Never) in Newmarket's G2 July Stakes. There is added intrigue in the presence of Eleanora Kennedy's Fairyhouse maiden winner Black Forza, a son of first-season sire Complexity whose son Mo Plex flew his flag at Saratoga earlier this month.
Teme Valley 's racing manager Richard Ryan said of the former, “It was a great run in the Norfolk and he was caught a little wide on the wing and was a bit lonely, but he put his head down and kept on it really well. Oisin [Murphy] has ridden him on two occasions and on both occasions fed back to us he was keen to ride him over six furlongs, so it looked a logical race for him based on rider comments and he's trained really well leading up to it. He's got a very good mind, he's strong and has an admirable attitude and hopefully those attributes will be useful at Goodwood.”
Johnson Houghton said of Billboard Star, “He's a lovely horse and it wasn't a surprise he ran really well in the July Stakes. I think he'll go close in the Richmond. He's run at Goodwood before, so we know he handles the track and we're very hopeful.”
Gordon Test For Jan Brueghel
With an eye on the St Leger, Thursday's G3 Gordon Stakes offers the chance to further assess the merit of Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Jan Brueghel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who followed an eight-length debut win at The Curragh in May with a defeat of his elders in that track's G3 International Stakes. Up from a mile and a quarter for the first time, the full-brother to Sovereign (Ire) should be more at home tackling this 12-furlong trip with Aidan O'Brien stating after his last outing that he is viewed as a staying type. He faces Australian Bloodstock Stable's recent purchase Sayedaty Sadaty (Ire) (Anodin {Ire}), who is out for the first time since finishing fifth in the Derby.
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