G1 Qatar Nassau S.

Coolmore and Westerberg's G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and G1 Coronation Stakes placegetter Opera Singer (Justify) and supplementary entry Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) are the leading lights left after 10 of 12 overnight nominees stood their ground for Thursday's G1 Qatar Nassau Stakes. Opera Singer, last term's impressive G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner, is on course to make her first start beyond the one-mile distance while it will be dual Group 1 winner Emily Upjohn's first visit to the Sussex Downs venue. The latter's Team Gosden stablemate Inspiral...

Gulfstream Park's GII Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational, just upgraded this week from a Grade III to Grade II event, got another boon Wednesday when 1/ST Racing announced the race will serve as an automatic qualifier for the G1 Qatar Nassau S. at England's Qatar Goodwood Festival Aug. 1. The Filly & Mare Turf will be held Jan. 27 as part of Gulfstream's Pegasus World Cup Day presented by Baccarat, which features the $3 million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational and six other graded races. "Goodwood Racecourse...

Shadwell's Al Husn (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Hadaatha {Ire}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}) caused an upset when usurping Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the dying strides of Newcastle's G3 Hoppings S. when last seen and repeated the dose with a game performance for a career high in a stellar renewal of Thursday's G1 Qatar Nassau S. at Goodwood. This year's G2 Dahlia S. runner-up and Listed Rothesay S. victrix was let go at generous odds of 9-1 and broke smartly from the outside stall to find a smooth rhythm in a...

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...

Last year, Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was 1-6 when extending his influence in Goodwood's G1 Qatar Sussex S. and if the forecast heavy rain leads to the withdrawal of Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) it could be that the 2023 edition sees another mortal lock in Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}). With the prospect of up to 10mm of overnight rain before strong storm winds hit the area, this is going to be tough going and Cheveley Park Stud's Chris Richardson has not ruled out giving it a miss if...

Class has told all week so far at the Qatar Goodwood Festival and on Thursday it was the turn of TDN Rising Star Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to excel in the G1 Qatar Nassau S. Sent off the 6-5 favourite having loped to post like an old hand under Hollie Doyle, Imad Al Sagar's G1 Prix de Diane heroine cruised from rear down the outer to swoop on the front end with a furlong remaining and assert for an ultimately-comfortable 1 3/4-length success from the 40-1 outsider Aristia (Ire) (Starspangledbanner...

Stopping the 3-year-old momentum in Thursday's G1 Qatar Nassau S. at Goodwood, Emma Banks's Lady Bowthorpe (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) swooped to conquer to end trainer William Jarvis's 27-year wait for another top-level winner. Unlucky when fourth in the G1 Falmouth S. over a mile at Newmarket last time July 9, the 10-3 shot raced with only the 9-4 joint-favourite Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) behind early as the other market-leader Joan of Arc (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was sent on by Ryan Moore. Delivered wide of that long-time leader and Zeyaadah...

With the major contests going the way of the 3-year-olds so far, it is up to Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) to attempt to bring that generation back into line a touch in Thursday's G1 Qatar Nassau S. at Goodwood. Improving markedly at this stage last term, Alison Swinburn's 5-year-old captured the G1 Prix Jean Romanet on soft ground at Deauville in August, was third to Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) in the G1 Prix de l'Opera on heavy at ParisLongchamp in October before capturing the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare...

Breeders' Cup champion Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who was second in the G1 Prince Of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot in June, is doing well in advance of the July 29 G1 Qatar Nassau S. One of the highlights of the Qatar Goodwood Festival, the 10-furlong contest appears a good fit for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine. Soviet Song (Ire) (Marju {Ire}) won the Nassau 17 years ago for Fanshawe, who said on Monday, "Audarya seems in really good form. We've had the Qatar Nassau...

The Qatar Goodwood Festival, slated for July 27-31, will boast an increase in prize money for its three feature races, the racecourse announced on Tuesday. The G1 Qatar Sussex S. will once again be worth £1 million, while the G1 Qatar Goodwood Cup has total prize money of £500,000. Rounding out the three Group 1s with increased prize money is the G1 Qatar Nassau S., which will be worth £600,000. Overall, the five-day festival will offer over £4.8 million in prize money in July. In 2020, purses were reduced due...

Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), fresh from a thrilling victory in Chantilly's G1 Prix de Diane earlier this month, doubled up in battling fashion and continued to lead the way for the freshman stable of Donnacha O'Brien with a second Group 1 success in Thursday's G1 Qatar Nassau S. at Goodwood. Accepting a tow from Aidan O'Brien trainee and G1 Mackinnon S. victress Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) into the straight, the 11-4 chance inched closer to launch her challenge at the quarter-mile marker and was driven out once...