Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle and her Classic-winning filly Nashwa bid for a second successive win in Thursday’s Group One Nassau Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival.
A second consecutive victory in the Qatar Nassau Stakes (3.35) at day three of Goodwood on Thursday would elevate my Classic-winning filly Nashwa up among the greatest fillies of recent decades.
She gave me one of my most special moments in the saddle this time last year when she comfortably justified her short price in the Group One showpiece, supplementing her success in the French Oaks.
This time she looks unlikely to go off favourite as she steps back up to 10f despite her fantastic performance in the Group One Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket last month.
She proved to the world that day that she was back to her brilliant best after taking a couple of runs to really come to herself, but she will probably need to produce a similar level of performance to get the better of ace French filly Blue Rose Cen – the one the bookmakers think we have to beat.
This season’s Prix de Diane winner gets an 8lb age allowance from Nashwa and her other older rivals including Al Husn, who got up to beat us in the Group Three Hoppings Fillies’ Stakes at Newcastle a month ago.
I haven’t sat on my boss Imad Alsagar’s lovely daughter of Frankel since her Falmouth romp, but John and Thady Gosden report her to be in great shape for her return to the Sussex downs. She goes on any ground, is proven on the track and has an ideal draw in stall four, so everything is in place for another big performance.
Nashwa pulls clear in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket’s July course
Weights rise no Dilemma for Evans’ speedball
I’m confident speedball Democracy Dilemma will take plenty of beating in the World Pool Handicap (5.55).
Dave Evans’ sprinter, who I’ve won twice on already this season, comes into the race on the back of a flawless display on the All-Weather at Chelmsford City and is perfectly drawn in stall 13 in the five-furlong dash.
He gave me a great feel on the Polytrack and is equally effective on turf, so I don’t see his latest 8lb rise being a problem, even though this demands a career-best performance.
Democracy Dilemma stretches away to win well at Chester under jockey George Downing
Baltic ready for step up in Grade
Although Baltic Voyage is among the outsiders in the opening Coral Kincsem Handicap (1.50), I’m hopeful of a good run.
Ralph Beckett’s gelding won emphatically for Ben Curtis over the same 10f trip at Ripon last month and is worth his chance in this better grade. We don’t have the kindest of draws in stall 12 but have plenty of better fancied rivals around us on a track he promises to be at home on.
Later, Phone Tag looks an interesting contender in the Jaeger-Lecoultre Nursery Handicap (4.10). I’ve never ridden Hugo Palmer’s two-year-old before but he could prove well treated on a mark of 75 on this handicap debut.
He’s been gelded since finishing behind Godolphin’s well regarded Great Truth at Leicester and races in blinkers for the first time. It looks an open race and I’m happy enough with my draw in stall seven.
Sangster filly could be hot in maiden
Young trainer Olly Sangster has made a flying start to his career, so it’s great to pick up a nice ride for him in the Tatler British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (5.20).
Nick Bradley Racing’s filly Really Darn Hot starts out at the scene of her sire Too Darn Hot’s Sussex Stakes win in 2019.
Olly’s having a great time of things, having saddled his first pattern winner when Shuwari landed the Listed Star Stakes at Sandown Park last week, and it would be great to help him follow that up at another high-profile meeting.
Earlier in the afternoon, Amanda Perrett’s Dream Of Mischief heads to his local track on the back of a win at Windsor but faces a tough challenge from his bad draw in stall 20 in the Buccellati Handicap (4.45).
You become a hostage to fortune from out there over a mile, so all I can do is hope for a good start and see where I find myself.
Thrilled to see Tom’s brilliant Cup success
The Goodwood Cup field give chase to runaway winner Quickthorn
I was thrilled to bits to see my husband Tom Marquand win the Group One Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup in such spectacular style on one of his old favourites Quickthorn.
He gave Hughie Morrison’s outsider a brilliant ride from the front, kicking clear at halfway and keeping up the gallop to win by six lengths to score his fourth Group success on the six-year-old.
I’m also delighted for Hughie, who once again proved on the biggest stage what an excellent trainer he is. Well done also to owner Lady Blyth and all the team at East Ilsley.
Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft.