By Tom Frary
Aidan O'Brien knew he still had a top-class filly on his hands despite Opera Singer (Justify–Liscanna {re}, by Sadler's Wells) missing out on all the early-season mile monuments and the late Evie Stockwell's homebred who had wowed in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac duly delivered up in trip in Thursday's G1 Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood. Able to control the 10-furlong contest from the front throughout, the 9-4 second favourite really turned it on passing the three-furlong pole and had to be brave late as the 16-1 shot See The Fire (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) threatened to emulate her dam Arabian Queen (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in causing an upset in a prestige British group 1.
Tough to the line in response to Ryan Moore's urgings, Opera Singer had a neck to spare over Jeff Smith's homebred, who was promoting the Eclipse form having been a well-beaten fourth behind City Of Troy (Justify) at Sandown. There was another 3/4 of a length to the speedy closer and G1 Prix de Diane heroine Sparkling Plenty (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) in third, with the 7-4 favourite Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) only sixth having looked uncomfortable on this unique track.
“We always felt she was crying out for a step up in trip and she's a very good filly who could step up further,” O'Brien said. “If she is going to the Arc, she might go for the [G1] Prix Vermeille before but if the ground was bad at Longchamp she could go to the Breeders' Cup instead. Last year, we thought her and City Of Troy were the best 2-year-old filly and colt we'd ever had.”
in FULL CRY
Opera Singer stays the ten furlongs well to win the Group 1 @Qatar_Racing Nassau Stakes under Ryan Moore.
Could she be an Arc contender?#QatarGoodwoodFestival #GloriousGoodwood pic.twitter.com/vM12Qa6I6f
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 1, 2024
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