Glorious Goodwood Day Three Preview: Can Fancy Blue beat Nazeef in the Nassau Stakes?
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We cast our eyes over Thursday’s biggest races at Goodwood
After Mohaather rode to victory in the Sussex Stakes on Day Two, our attention turns to Day Three where there’s the prospect of three interesting Group races.
We’ve got eight races on the card to look ahead to, including the Group 2 Richmond Stakes before the Group 1 Qatar Nassau Stakes.
Ahead of the action getting underway, we’ve glanced at the runners and riders in our pick of Thursday’s Glorious Goodwood card.
Glorious Goodwood Day Three
13:10 Mirabeau En Provence Handicap
13:45 You’re On Handicap
14:15 Qatar Richmond Stakes (Group 2)
14:45 John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes (Group 3)
15:15 Qatar Nassau Stakes (Group 1)
15:45 Gusbourne Nursery Handicap
16:20 British European Breeders Fund EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes
16:55 Tatler Nursery Handicap
On the second live ITV race of the day, seven line up to take on the 6f course. Yazaman heads the field, with the two-year-old colt impressing so far in his career.
He claimed a debut win at Yarmouth, before falling behind Tactical in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot and the July Stakes over 6f at Newmarket. There’s still more to come from him here.
The likely challenger looks to be Admiral Nelson, who looked the part on debut when winning at the Curragh. He failed to land a win in the Coventry Stakes on his next run when favourite, but it still looks like there’s enough room for improvement.
Lauded comes in to this one having impressed on debut over 6f at Haydock before falling back into the mid-field in the Coventry Stakes just ahead of Admiral Nelson. While there’s still more to come, there are runners with stronger credentials.
Al Aasy has steadily improved with each passing run, with the Sea The Stars colt overcoming the favourite Dawn Rising in the Bahrain Trophy Stakes at Newmarket. With Jim Crowley on board, there could still be more to come and he could defy any penalty given.
Camelot colt English King impressed hugely when seeing off the challenge from Berkshire Rocco in the Lingfield Derby Trial but was undone by how things eventually panned out in the Derby. Yet another with more to give in his early career, but it remains to be seen whether it’s enough to challenge the favourite.
Khalifa Sat is unbeaten on his last two visits to the track, including a win in the Listen Cocked Hat Stakes on return. He ran to a second-placed finish in the Derby last time thanks to a stunning run and has solid claims to run even better here.
Ryan Moore mounts Fancy Blue over the 1m 1f course, and it’s the hugely progressive filly who heads the field here. She proved suited to a step up in trip on course to winning the Prix de Diane at Chantilly, while running to a fine second place finish in the Irish 1,000 Guineas. With more to come, she’s the one to beat.
Nazeef boasts a fine strike rate, which only enhances her reputation and expectations here. She produced an immaculate run when winning the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket by a neck from Billesdon Brook. She should be as effective as ever here and has good claims to win.
Japanese mare Deirdre returns to the contest she won just a year ago, beating the favourite Mehdaayih by almost two lengths. After four months off, she returned to a fifth-place finish, five lengths back of Ghaiyyath in the Coral-Eclipse. After a respectable return, there could yet be more left in the tank.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication.
