Latest news with #NassauStakes
Daily Mirror
18 minutes ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Goodwood tips: Newsboy's picks and 1-2-3 for every race on Thursday on ITV
The feature Nassau Stakes, Richmond Stakes and Gordon Stakes are all covered in Newsboy's unmissable column on day three of Glorious Goodwood It's day three of the Glorious Goodwood Festival which is staged in one of the most picturesque racing settings in the world on Thursday. The Qatar Goodwood Festival is one of the highlights of the summer when the crowds come out to the Sussex venue in the hope of fine racing and fine weather. Day three features the Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes, featuring Oaks runner-up Whirl, the Group 2 Markel Richmond Stakes and Group 3 HKJC World Pool Gordon Stakes. Newsboy, aka David Yates, will be providing daily and detailed guides on every race. 1.20 Coral Kincsem Handicap BEST SECRET gets the vote to give his rivals weight and a beating. Trained in Deauville by Stéphane Wattel, the son of Persian King made the frame in his first four starts before making his handicap debut over a mile and a quarter at Longchamp at the end of April. Sent off favourite to account for 15 rivals, he did the job in style, sweeping through from the back of the field to score by three lengths. That performance caught the attention of Wathnan Racing's talent scouts, and Best Secret carried the Qatari venture's livery when he appeared in the Golden Gates Handicap at Royal Ascot last month. A well-backed 4-1 second choice in the 15-runner line-up, Best Secret and James Doyle had just one opponent behind them turning for home and the combination were then denied clear sailing when attempting to make their ground in the straight. So finding daylight, my selection motored through the final furlong to take third, beaten a nose and one length, behind Quai De Bethune. A 5lb rise in the weights for that defeat was to be expected and, with further progress in store on the sixth outing of his career, Best Secret can go two places better. Of the three-year-olds who assemble for the Thursday opener, Marhaba Ghaiyyath, High Degree and Hymnbook are all runners with a sizeable 'up' side. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 BEST SECRET, 2 HYMNBOOK, 3 HIGH DEGREE 1.55 Markel Richmond Stakes COPPULL makes plenty of appeal on the back of a fine second-time-up third in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. Clive Cox saddled the Richmond Stakes winner in Golden Horde in 2019 and doubled up 12 months later with Supremacy, and the Lambourn trainer has another viable candidate in this son of Bated Breath. Market expectations weren't exactly sky high when Coppull, whose half-sister Worthington Lake was a winning two-year-old in 2024, stepped out on a racecourse for the first time at Leicester at the end of April. My selection went off at 14-1 in a field of 15 but knew his job, holding a prominent pitch before hitting the front over a furlong out to beat Stardinia - the runner-up, third and fourth have all won since - by half a length. Despite that promising start, Coppull wasn't uppermost in punters' thoughts when moving up to Group 2 level on the royal heath - he was a 66-1 outsider. But he ran well above those odds, leading the near-side group of 11 and keeping on when headed over two furlongs out, crossing the line in third, three lengths and a neck in arrears of winner Gstaad. Another step forward and David Probert's partner will be in the firing line. The admirable Havana Hurricane looks sure to give his running and is feared, along with Azizam and Egoli. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 COPPULL, 2 HAVANA HURRICANE, 3 EGOLI 2.30 HKJC World Pool Gordon Stakes RAHIEBB has made the podium in each of his five starts and should again go well. The Roger Varian-trained son of Frankel - dam Playful Sound was a four-time winner in the care of Sir Michael Stoute - didn't make the track as a two-year-old in 2024. But Rahiebb has more than made up for lost time this season, getting his career off to the perfect start with a two-and-a-quarter-length supremacy in a one-mile novice stakes at Newcastle in March. My selection returned to Gosforth Park for a second to Warrant Holder in a similar event over an additional two furlongs 15 days later before a neck defeat at the hands of Opportunity when upped to a mile and a half for another novice stakes at Haydock Park at the end of April. Contesting a handicap over the same distance at York's Dante fixture, Rahiebb claimed a third straight silver medal, two and a half lengths behind Merchant, who was receiving 8lb but most re-engage at level weights today. And Silvestre de Sousa's partner produced another personal best when third, beaten three-quarters of a length and a head, to Carmers in the Group 2 Queen's Vase over a mile and three-quarters at Royal Ascot last time out. Coming back in distance shouldn't be an issue and another good account is on the is an obvious danger, while Wimbledon Hawkeye and Windlord also hold claims. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 RAHIEBB, 2 MERCHANT, 3 WIMBLEDON HAWKEYE 3.05 Qatar Nassau Stakes SEE THE FIRE is better than ever at the age of four and is the choice to gain compensation for her narrow defeat in this race 12 months ago. Opera Singer benefited from a Ryan Moore special when making all for the 2024 Nassau Stakes, but See The Fire and Oisín Murphy charged home to get within a neck of causing a 16-1 upset. Given her form since, the bookies won't be offering such generous odds about Andrew Balding's daughter of Sea The Stars and 2015 Juddmonte International heroine Arabian Queen today. Having gone one place better in the Group 3 Strensall Stakes at York next time, See The Fire stepped back to a mile for a third to Tamfana in the top-tier Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket in October, rounding off her campaign with a fifth to Anmaat in the Champion Stakes over this 10-furlong distance at Ascot a fortnight later. My selection ran as if needing her comeback when fifth to Al Aasy in the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown Park in April and accordingly took a step forward to thrash Beautiful Love by 12 lengths in York's Group 2 Middleton Fillies' Stakes at York the following month. A third to Ombudsman returned to the highest level for the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot represents another sound effort and, back against her own gender, See The Fire can capture her first Group 1 prize. On the back of a neck defeat to her Aidan O'Brien stablemate Minnie Hauk in the Oaks, Whirl beat Kingsclere's Kalpana for the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh and will be a will doubtless be a tough opponent, with Cercene preferred to Ballydoyle's Bedtime Story for third. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 SEE THE FIRE, 2 WHIRL, 3 CERCENE Don't miss a FREE £2 William Hill shop bet inside your Mirror every day of Glorious Goodwood Festival Pick up your Mirror every day of the Goodwood festival to get your hands on 12 page pullouts packed with insight from the punters you trust, plus FREE William Hill shop bets every day of the festival from Tuesday July 29 until Saturday August 2, 2025. Find out more here. 3.45 Buccellati Handicap THE MAN was a revelation when scoring at York in May - and there is plenty more where that came from. There was much to like about the way Richard Spencer's son of Mehmas began his career, at Southwell in April 2024, as The Man beat Storm Call by one length. It's only fair to observe that things didn't go to plan after that - my selection moved up to Group 2 level for the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot next time but beat just one rival home behind Shareholder. It was a similar story in the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes over this course and distance exactly a year ago and there was only incremental progress in a first-time hood as The Man came home eighth of 16 Tropical Storm in York's Listed Roses Stakes in August. Then followed a gelding operation, wind surgery and a 265-day break before The Man and David Egan took apart a 22-runner handicap back on the Knavesmire in May. There's an 8lb rise to deal with as a result of a two-and-a-quarter-length beating of Loom, but The Man is a long way from the bottom of the barrel. In a trappy sprint, Ruby's Profit, Getreadytorumble, and Naana's Sparkle are capable of having a say. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 THE MAN, 2 RUBY'S PROFIT, 3 NAANA'S SPARKLE 4.20 Phase Eight Nursery Handicap AMAZING JOURNEY is following a sharp upward curve and may continue to elude the handicapper's grasp. A fourth-of-12 finish at Chelmsford City, six lengths behind winner Venetian Lace, may not have amounted to much on paper when Jamie Osborne gave the Starspangledbanner youngster his debut at the beginning of June. But Amazing Journey looked clueless that afternoon and was significantly more streetwise when arriving late on the scene under the trainer's daughter Saffie to beat Magic Stone by half a length at Chepstow 22 days later. Given a rating of 76 for his first foray into the handicap sphere, my selection proved above that assessment at York 19 days ago, coming from the back of the seven-runner field to hold Son Of Sarabi by the same margin. Each of his races has been over six furlongs, but his strong finishes suggest Amazing Journey will be well served by this first attempt at seven. It will rank as a surprise if there isn't a fair chunk of improvement still to come and a 5lb rise in the weights looks within range. Although he blew out in Royal Ascot's Coventry Stakes, debut Windsor scorer American Gulf is feared most, ahead of Hey Tru Blue and Goldwork. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 AMAZING JOURNEY, 2 AMERICAN GULF, 3 HEY TRU BLUE 4.55 Tatler British EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes AYLIN did more than enough on her debut at York 20 days ago to be of strong interest here. The daughter of St Mark's Basilica - dam Angelic Light won at Listed level at two for Michael O'Callaghan - went under the hammer for 600,000 guineas at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (Book 2) in October of last year. Put into training with Karl Burke, the chestnut was a warm order for for her debut in a six-furlong novice stakes contested by six fillies, heading the betting market at 8-11. Despite an ungainly exit from the stalls, Aylin was never far from the action and hit the front two furlongs from the finish, only to be run down in the shadow of the post by short-head winer Bosa Nova. With that experience under her belt, David Egan's mount should be hard to beat. Brighlee went close at Kempton Park first time up and warrants a second look, as do Quiescent and newcomer Proposal. NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3: 1 AYLIN, 2 BRIGHLEE, 3 QUIESCENT 5.30 World Pool Bet With The Tote Handicap ORGAN pulled out all the stops to complete a hat-trick over course and distance last time out - and the four-timer looks close at hand. Although he was beaten on his handicap debut with a fourth at Newmarket's Craven meeting in April, the Martyn Meade-saddled son of Ulysses has done nothing but improve since. Organ enjoyed a red-letter day with a head call from High On Hope in a seven-furlong contest at Haydock Park in May, doubling up by half a length from Hot Cash over a mile at the same course nine days later. And he racked up the threesome on the South Downs when hitting the front close home to get the better of Sea To Sky by a neck. The assessor has reacted with a 5lb rise but it's anyone's guess when Organ will plateau and HIS winning run may not be at an end. Wicked, Sea Force and Knights Gold are all on the shortlist as the curtain falls on Thursday's action.
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Cercene taking distance test in Nassau Stakes
However, after Cercene's thrilling victory at the Royal meeting, Murphy now scratches his long-held itch to move up in distance, where he is confident the daughter of Australia can hold her own once more in elite company. Trainer Joe Murphy and jockey Gary Carroll celebrate (David Davies/PA) 'We were very happy with her since her last run and we'll find out how we get on up in trip, so it will be a learning curve,' said Murphy. 'She's so relaxed, we always thought she would be a mile-and-a-half filly but she proved us wrong by being so good at a mile. We've options we could try over those distances before the season ends, so we're looking forward to running and we're fortunate we have her. 'We have her in the Matron Stakes just in case she doesn't get the trip, but if she does it opens up more options for us and I do think she will stay. 'This is another test and another Group One. She's been third in a Guineas and won at Royal Ascot so she deserves to take her chance and plenty will be revealed by Friday.' Whirl is a major player in the Nassau Stakes (Brian Lawless/PA) If Cercene is to add a second Group One to her resume, she will have to crack the Ballydoyle duo of Whirl and Bedtime Story who will bid to give Aidan O'Brien a sixth victory in the 10-furlong feature, having also taken home the spoils with Opera Singer 12 months ago. Bedtime Story showed the ability that made her such an exciting juvenile last term when second in the French Oaks last month. However, it is Oaks runner-up Whirl who will carry chief Coolmore hopes having downed Andrew Balding's subsequent King George second Kalpana in tremendous fashion to claim the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh. 'She's a very straightforward, honest filly, she's so uncomplicated it's not funny,' said O'Brien. 'It was the obvious race for her and it isn't over facing her, it's baby steps her way and that's why she's coming here. We've been very happy with her since the Pretty Polly.' See The Fire ran a big race in last year's Nassau Stakes (Mike Egerton/PA) Balding takes another crack at Whirl, this time with See The Fire, who was thwarted by a neck in this race last year and reverts to competing against her own sex after a fine third behind Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales's Stakes. 'She has started this year in fabulous form and was very impressive in the Middleton, winning a Group Two in easy fashion. And then we thought she ran a super race at Ascot against the boys in the Prince of Wales's Stakes,' said Balding, ahead of a race that guarantees a spot in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar. 'As a three-year-old we didn't see the best of her until we got to the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood where she was narrowly beaten. Then she went on and won the Strensall Stakes against older colts at York. 'There is evidence to suggest she is improving all the time, and she certainly looks to have done physically. She is an exciting filly, and hopefully the best is to come.' John and Thady Gosden's five-time scorer Running Lion completes the line-up, running at this distance for just the second time since her second in last October's Prix de l'Opera.
Glasgow Times
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Cercene taking distance test in Nassau Stakes
The experienced Irish handler has always thought of his star performer as a stayer in the making, but having excelled at a mile has so far been kept to no further than eight furlongs. However, after Cercene's thrilling victory at the Royal meeting, Murphy now scratches his long-held itch to move up in distance, where he is confident the daughter of Australia can hold her own once more in elite company. Trainer Joe Murphy and jockey Gary Carroll celebrate (David Davies/PA) 'We were very happy with her since her last run and we'll find out how we get on up in trip, so it will be a learning curve,' said Murphy. 'She's so relaxed, we always thought she would be a mile-and-a-half filly but she proved us wrong by being so good at a mile. We've options we could try over those distances before the season ends, so we're looking forward to running and we're fortunate we have her. 'We have her in the Matron Stakes just in case she doesn't get the trip, but if she does it opens up more options for us and I do think she will stay. 'This is another test and another Group One. She's been third in a Guineas and won at Royal Ascot so she deserves to take her chance and plenty will be revealed by Friday.' Whirl is a major player in the Nassau Stakes (Brian Lawless/PA) If Cercene is to add a second Group One to her resume, she will have to crack the Ballydoyle duo of Whirl and Bedtime Story who will bid to give Aidan O'Brien a sixth victory in the 10-furlong feature, having also taken home the spoils with Opera Singer 12 months ago. Bedtime Story showed the ability that made her such an exciting juvenile last term when second in the French Oaks last month. However, it is Oaks runner-up Whirl who will carry chief Coolmore hopes having downed Andrew Balding's subsequent King George second Kalpana in tremendous fashion to claim the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh. 'She's a very straightforward, honest filly, she's so uncomplicated it's not funny,' said O'Brien. 'It was the obvious race for her and it isn't over facing her, it's baby steps her way and that's why she's coming here. We've been very happy with her since the Pretty Polly.' See The Fire ran a big race in last year's Nassau Stakes (Mike Egerton/PA) Balding takes another crack at Whirl, this time with See The Fire, who was thwarted by a neck in this race last year and reverts to competing against her own sex after a fine third behind Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales's Stakes. 'She has started this year in fabulous form and was very impressive in the Middleton, winning a Group Two in easy fashion. And then we thought she ran a super race at Ascot against the boys in the Prince of Wales's Stakes,' said Balding, ahead of a race that guarantees a spot in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar. 'As a three-year-old we didn't see the best of her until we got to the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood where she was narrowly beaten. Then she went on and won the Strensall Stakes against older colts at York. 'There is evidence to suggest she is improving all the time, and she certainly looks to have done physically. She is an exciting filly, and hopefully the best is to come.' John and Thady Gosden's five-time scorer Running Lion completes the line-up, running at this distance for just the second time since her second in last October's Prix de l'Opera.
South China Morning Post
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Top fillies Whirl and See The Fire set for a Goodwood showdown in the Nassau Stakes
Andrew Balding has a leading chance in the Nassau Stakes with See The Fire. Photo: Whirl and See The Fire are set for a Group One Nassau Stakes (2,000m) showdown at Glorious Goodwood on Thursday. See The Fire arrived a neck too late behind Aidan O'Brien's Opera Singer 12 months ago and will need to overcome another Ballydoyle powerhouse in Whirl if she is to break her top-level duck at the ninth attempt. Andrew Balding's filly has looked better than ever this season and ran riot in the Group Two Middleton Fillies' Stakes (2,000m) at York in May, streaking away by a remarkable 12 lengths. Most recently, she finished third behind Ombudsman in the Group One Prince Of Wales's Stakes (2,000m) at Royal Ascot and comes into the race as the highest-rated in the line-up. She concedes 9lb to a younger Whirl, but Balding is adamant his filly has unfinished business in the Nassau. 'She's a very exciting filly and we have always fancied going back for the Nassau,' said Balding. This will not be an easy task for her, however, with O'Brien's Whirl looking a class act this campaign. She won a Group Three at York in May and took a giant leap forward when beaten by just a neck in the Group One Oaks (2,400m) at Epsom. HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. The winner, Minnie Hawk, franked the form by winning the Group One Irish Oaks (2,400m) on her next start, and Whirl was last seen winning the Group One Pretty Polly Stakes (2,000m) at the Curragh. Whirl just about manages to hold off the challenge of fav Kalpana and land the spoils in the @pphorseracing Pretty Polly Stakes@Ballydoyle — The Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) June 28, 2025 The second from that race, Kalpana, ran a huge race to finish second in the Group One King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,400m), giving further substance to Whirl's already bulletproof form. 'She [Whirl] was coming back in trip and when you are trying to outstay a rival as good as Kalpana that is very difficult but Ryan (Moore) got it spot on. And as we had seen in the Oaks, Whirl wasn't for surrendering,' said O'Brien. Cercene caused a boilover when she won the Group One Coronation Stakes (1,600m) at Royal Ascot and is now moved up in distance by her trainer Joseph Murphy. She has seven lengths to make up with Whirl on their meeting at the Curragh last year in Group Three company, but Murphy's filly has evidently improved since that encounter. O'Brien also runs Group One Prix de Diane (2,000m) second Bedtime Story, who had a torrid trip on that occasion and remains totally unexposed at the distance. Front runner Running Lion, trained by John and Thady Gosden, is set to go off as the outsider. She has not quite been at her best this campaign and is likely vulnerable to unexposed rivals conceding a huge amount of weight. Also on the card is the Group Two Richmond Stakes (1,200m), a nine-runner contest that is wide open on paper. The form standard is set by the Group Two Coventry Stakes (1,200m) third Coppull for trainer Clive Cox, while the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes (1,000m) winner Havana Hurricane is another with a leading chance for Even Johnson Houghton.
Irish Independent
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Determined Dunum delivers again at once Galway
Not that sharpest away but quickly to the front nonetheless in the hands of Seamie Heffernan, the Natalia Lupini-trained was pressed all the way through the final furlong by Bear Profit. The 12-1 winner would not give way, however, as he made it three career wins at the Ballybrit festival. Lupini said: 'We couldn't dismiss Galway and have been working towards both this race and the Ahonoora on Sunday. He did well today and Seamie is a great asset for a small yard like ours. Having a jockey of his calibre is a massive help. 'The horse usually jumps out smart, Seamie wasn't going to give away his position and the horse enjoyed himself. He loves the downhill run into the dip and he battled well towards the line. 'We'll see how he is at home, but hopefully he'll also run in the Ahonoora.' Joe Murphy and Gary Carroll have a big day booked at Goodwood on Thursday and warmed up in style with a runaway success for Pivotal Attack in the COLM QUINN BMW Irish EBF Fillies Maiden. The trainer-jockey combination will team up with Royal Ascot heroine Cercene in the Nassau Stakes and were in the winner's enclosure courtesy of this 9-2 chance, who fairly sprinted by hot favourite Amelia Earhart when asked. Murphy said: 'Our filly was very professional, she relaxed and when he asked her, she quickened. I think we have a nice filly going forward. 'I don't know where we'll go next, but the curve will be upwards anyway. I don't know the calibre of race it was and the O'Brien-horse (Amelia Earhart) was a bit unlucky, but it was the way our filly did it – she did it very well. 'She is out of a Pivotal mare and we think she is stakes class.' ADVERTISEMENT Cormac Farrell's Sticktotheplan was sent off the 22-1 outsider of the seven-runner COLM QUINN BMW Novice Hurdle but shot through against the rail to win in good style. The Willie Mullins pair of Vicar Street and La Note Verte seemed sure to fight out the finish approaching the last but the race changed drastically in complexion. Emily Love was challenging, as was Timeless Treaty, but it was Sticktotheplan and Ricky Doyle who quickened up best of all to win by two and a quarter lengths. 'We fancied him and had a few quid on as we've always thought he was a very smart horse. It has taken time for the penny to drop and to race correctly. His jumping has come together and he has a huge future,' said Farrell. 'I tried to sell him on several occasions but nobody would buy him so I'm delighted, as I'll be properly paid for him at some stage! I'm a big fan and he is a very exciting horse. He is a fine horse and that ground is as good as he'd want. 'It is so exciting to be in Galway as we don't get many winners so to have a nice horse to run in a Listed race is great.'
