The Group 1 Nassau Stakes is the last top level contest of the week at Glorious Goodwood. With ten fillies and mares set for the post, Joe Napier previews the field and gives his verdict.
Roger Varian and Shadwell Estate struck 12 months ago as Al Husn caused a minor upset to win under Jim Crowley.
OPERA SINGER
(Aidan O’Brien/Ryan Moore)
A half-sister to a number of star performers, Opera Singer took centre stage herself as a juvenile, storming to a cosy Group 1 success at Longchamp during the Arc meeting. She clearly took time to come to hand at three, not debuting until the Irish 1000 Guineas at the end of May when third to British raider Fallen Angel.
She subsequently stepped up to push Porta Fortuna close in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, but this daughter of Justify is clearly no juvenile flash in the pan. What is not evident at this stage is whether she needs this 1m2f trip, with none of her eight racing siblings excelling that far beyond 1m. If she gets the distance, she is a huge danger, but there are enough question marks about that until evidence is forthcoming.
EMILY UPJOHN
(Kieran Shoemark/John & Thady Gosden)
It is now over five races and close to 14 months since Emily Upjohn last got her head in front, but there is no doubt she remains the class angle in the race. She is a dual Group 1 winner with a record of three wins from five starts when racing only against her sex. That makes her a formidable opponent for all here.
She is prone to the odd howler, tailing off in last season’s King George and fading tamely in a distinctly winnable renewal of the Coronation Cup at Epsom this season. However, John Gosden was adamant his team did not have her in premier shape that day and she showed when only narrowly worn down by this year’s King George runner-up Bluestocking at the Curragh last time that her ability remains. She is the one to beat.
SPARKLING PLENTY
(Patrice Cottier/Cristian Demuro)
French-trained runners will inevitably be analysed under a more precise microscope after Goliath’s sensational success in the King George. Sparkling Plenty is another three-year-old, so gets the 8lb weight allowance as Opera Singer does. The price discrepancy between that pair remains too great though, with Patrice Cottier’s charge having demonstrated more on the track.
As is the case with many racing careers in France, hers has been primarily spent on good-to-soft or slower so far. However, in winning the Prix De Diane (French Oaks) at Chantilly in June, she took her form to a new level, with the runner-up boosting that run by winning the Group 2 Prix De Malleret since. She could join the mix late.
ITV Racing Tips: Best Bets For Day 3 Of Glorious Goodwood
There’s a stunning afternoon’s action at Glorious Goodwood on Thursday afternoon, as day three of the showpiece south coast event takes centre stage in front of the ITV Racing cameras. Our in-house tipster Steve Chambers previews the action and picks out his best bets of the day… 1:50pm Goodwood – Coral Kincsem Handicap Peter Chapple-Hyam’s…
Wed 31 Jul 2024
THE FIELD
Elmalka may prove popular as a Classic winner at her odds. She has clear each-way potential given she stays 1m very well and she probably had too much to do from the rear at Royal Ascot last time. As a half-sister to Group 1 globetrotter Benbatl, this is probably more in her wheelhouse than Opera Singer.
See The Fire is the remaining three-year-old in the field, and has form in open company already, albeit she is probably below Group 1 level. The same can be said for Lady Boba and Novus, especially on quicker ground even though the latter has a decent record at Goodwood.
The five-year-old Stay Alert can perform to this level on her day, but her second in the 2023 Pretty Polly Stakes came in a weak edition. Instead, there are two outsiders of note.
First is the exceptionally-bred Doha, who won the Kensington Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Two extra furlongs should now suit her, especially on quicker ground even though she still needs a lot more. Meanwhile, Lumiere Rock has often taken a couple of starts before reaching her best form. Back on a quicker surface, she may not be that far away on her autumn efforts in 2023.
VERDICT
Opera Singer and Elmalka bring significant potential to this trip, but the former is no guaranteed stayer even though she is progressing back to her best. The latter was a slightly fortunate Classic winner, which cannot be said about Sparkling Plenty, who is a dangerous participant for France. However, all of the three-year-olds have some way to go to match the class of EMILY UPJOHN, whose close second to Bluestocking in the Pretty Polly last time looks all the better now. She can give Kieran Shoemark a first Group 1 for the Gosdens ahead of Sparkling Plenty, with Lumiere Rock one for those of a long each-way persuasion.
- Emily Upjohn
- Sparkling Plenty
- Lumiere Rock
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