Rosanara in full bloom for Nassau Stakes
The Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on Saturday has a small but high quality field of seven, set to line up at 3.05pm, and trophy could be making a voyage across the English Channel, courtesy of the French raider Rosanara. This three-year-old Sinndar filly has contested two high-class races in France recently and has performed with great credit in both.
She was slightly unlucky when finishing fourth behind Special Duty at Longchamp in May. She was in the process of making her challenge two furlongs from home, when she suffered major interference from which she was unable to recover. Under the circumstances, she did very well to be just a length adrift at the line. Her luck did not change for the better at Chantilly either, when running in the Prix De Diane on her final outing.
On this occasion, she lost many lengths having to switch around a wall of horses, and by the time, she had completed that manoeuvre, her stablemate Sarafina had quickened away. Rosanara stayed on really well in the closing stages and only went down by a length and a half. If she can repeat that effort here, and given a little more luck, Alain De Royer-Dupre’s charge would have an outstanding chance.
According to the betting, her main rival would appear to be the Henry Cecil trained Midday, who will be bidding to follow up her victory in this race twelve months ago. She was outstanding that day in beating Rainbow View by just over two lengths, and she went on to record an even greater success in the Breeders Cup Filly And Mare Turf at Santa Anita, beating Pure Clan by a length.
This year she has only seen the racetrack on one occasion, which came in the Middleton Stakes at York back in May. It is possible she would have needed the run that day, as she never really looked like winning at any point, eventually finishing second to the very smart Sariska. She could well step up on that effort but it is worth noting that three-year-olds have dominated this event in recent times, and she will have to be at the very top of her game to beat the French filly.
Of course, Rosanara is not the only French filly on show here, as Stacelita joins her in the line up. The winner of the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp last season has not looked in quite the same form this term, despite winning a Group 3 event last time out. That was not a particularly strong race and although she defeated Court Canibal comfortably enough, she will need to step up markedly on that form to win this.
The wonderfully named Strawberrydaiquiri has had a good season so far and her trainer Sir Michael Stoute will be hoping for a big run, following her success in the Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot. She made all the running that day and showed great tenacity in the closing stages, to hold off the persistent challenge of Spacious.
Her performance last time when fourth to Music Show in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket, is better than it may appear. She kept going all the way to the line, despite suffering interference on several occasions there, and only finished three lengths off the winner. However, she does like to dominate from the front in her races, and she may not have an easy task here as both Barshiba and Contradense both like to make the running. With a fast pace assured, the race looks perfectly set up for Rosanara to swoop with a late run and take the trophy back to her stables in Chantilly.
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