The Nassau Stakes is the feature race on the third day of the Glorious Goodwood festival and this year’s renewal of the Group 1 looks like a quality race featuring some of the best fillies and mares around. Check out our runner-by-runner guide to the contest, alongside Bet UK’s latest offer where new customers can claim £60 in free bets if they bet £20.
All odds are Bet UK – Prices correct at the time of publish
1. ARISTIA (Richard Hannon, Sean Levey) 25/1
Twice a winner at 3, including at odds of 22/1 in a Listed contest at York. Promising seasonal reappearance second to Lilac Road back on the Knavesmire in the Group 2 Middleton Stakes, but she failed to go on from that when down the field in the Wolferton Stakes last time out. Will appreciate getting back against her own sex here, but she hasn’t achieved enough on the track to suggest that she’s up to winning this.
2. DREAMLOPER (Ed Walker, Kieran Shoemark) 7/1
Ended her 4yo campaign with a fine third in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes, and she’s shown that to be no fluke this season, landing the Group 2 Dahlia back on the Rowley Mile before claiming Group 1 honours in the Prix d’Ispahan over in France. Below her best in the Pretty Polly latest, but it might be wise to forgive her that as there were genuine excuses (keen, ground). Has seen her campaign revolve around this race and she’s the highest-rated runner in the line-up, so must hold a big chance.
3. LILAC ROAD (William Haggas, Tom Marquand) 6/1
Finished just 2l behind Dreamloper in the Dahlia on seasonal return and stepped forward on that showing to take the Group 2 Middleton Stakes at York next time out. That was her sixth attempt in Group company (hadn’t won past Listed level) so it was certainly an improvement on her previous form shown. Must be noted that the horses to have come out of that York race are a combined 0-6 since, however, and she’ll need more to trouble the best of these.
4. VILLE DE GRACE (Sir Michael Stoute, Richard Kingscote) 17/2
Came good at the end of last season, supplementing a 3l Yarmouth Listed success when taking a Newmarket Group 3 in October, Lilac Road directly behind. Only a nose behind Dreamloper in the Dahlia on reappearance, but she failed to go on from that when 5l behind Lilac Road in the Middleton when last seen back in May. Had struggled at York previously, so perhaps it’s simply not her track, but even so, something of a leap of faith is required on the back of it and she’s playing for place money at best.
5. CONCERT HALL (Aidan O’Brien, Ryan Moore) 19/2
Exceptionally bred being out of Oaks winner Was and she herself ran creditably at Epsom, finishing fourth just a length and a quarter behind Nashwa. Has dropped to 1m2f for both subsequent runs, finishing fourth in the Pretty Polly and occupying that same finishing position in the Belmont Oaks. Cheekpieces now go on in an attempt to eke out more, but despite trip or tactics, she’s becoming a horse that is staying on once the race is essentially over and this might just happen all too quickly for her.
6. FONTEYN (Kevin Ryan, Andrea Atzeni) 25/1
Showed clear signs of ability without quite managing to get her head in front in a trio of novice/maiden races before somewhat unusually breaking her maiden tag in Listed company at York last time. That form’s been franked and whilst her pedigree wouldn’t exactly be stamina laden, she does shape as though she’ll stay this 1m2f trip. Even so, this is a huge ask for one so inexperienced.
7. NASHWA (John & Thady Gosden, Hollie Doyle) 4/5
Marked herself down as a potentially smart filly with a couple of wins earlier this season, and she ran with credit in the Oaks when third, just not quite seeing out the 1m4f trip. Unsurprisingly dropped back in distance for the Prix de Diane next time, where she justified favouritism to score under Hollie Doyle. Only just held on that day, however, and the Oaks form has received some knocks recently from the 1-2. Has her optimum conditions but it’s questionable whether she should be quite this short in the betting.
8. ONE FOR BOBBY (Johnny Murtagh, Frankie Dettori) 29/1
Daughter of Frankel who was seemingly unfancied for a Gowran maiden on debut in May, but she belied the 33/1 odds to score. Followed up back over that course and distance, but she was a beaten favourite upped to Listed level at Naas next. Much better when an 18/1 third in a Curragh Group 2 latest. However, this is a whole different ballgame and even though Dettori’s booked just a watching brief can be advised.
9. ROGUE MILLENNIUM (Tom Clover, Jack Mitchell) 15/1
Took her first two starts, building on Wetherby novice debut success to land the Listed Oaks Trial at Lingfield in May. That hasn’t turned out to be a particularly strong piece of form, however, with Rogue Millennium herself behind both Nashwa and Concert Hall in the Oaks before finishing second in a Newcastle Group 3. Whilst that latest effort was, at least, an improved performance, it still leaves her with plenty to find in this company.
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Verdict
The market for this year’s Nassau is unsurprisingly headed by Nashwa, who confirmed that 1m2f was indeed her optimum trip when landing the Prix de Diane at Chantilly last month. She did look all out to land that prize, however, and the form of her Oaks third has obviously been knocked by the recent performances of both Tuesday and Emily Upjohn. The odds-on available, therefore, doesn’t make a great amount of appeal, particularly given the price of DREAMLOPER. Ed Walker’s mare won her first two starts this season, including a competitive renewal of the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan, before a tame effort in the Pretty Polly where the ground would have been softer than ideal. It looks worth forgiving her that latest run, and on more than one occasion this term the Nassau has been nominated as her seasonal aim, so expect her to have been trained specifically with this in mind. Ville De Grace gave the selection a scare in the Dahlia at Newmarket earlier this season and can perhaps be forgiven for a slightly below-par run in the Middleton at York, a track where she has disappointed previously, it wouldn’t be a shock to see her fill the frame.
- DREAMLOPER
- Nashwa
- Ville De Grace
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