Big-race Goodwood line-ups on cards
Classic winners Hermosa and Channel feature among 33 entries – 13 more than in 2018 – for the £600,000 Qatar Nassau Stakes on the Qatar Goodwood Festival’s Ladies’ Day on August 1. Dual British and Irish 1,000 Guineas scorer Hermosa is one of 10 entries for Ireland’s champion Flat trainer Aidan O’brien, who is seeking a fifth Qatar Nassau Stakes victory. The three-year-old daughter of Galileo finished second on her latest start to French raider Watch Me in the G1 Coronation Stakes over a mile at Royal Ascot, but has yet to race over further. Watch Me’s stable companion Channel, trained by Francis-henri Graffard, landed the Prix de Diane French Oakslast time out at Chantilly and the Nassau is under consideration for the three-year-old daughter of Nathaniel. Chantilly-based Graffard said: “Channel is in very good form and the Qatar Nassau Stakes is a possible target. “We are keeping all our options open with her at the moment and we will make a decision nearer the time. “The options are probably the Nassau or the Prix Jacques Le Marois (at Deauville). “If she continues to be fit and well in the coming weeks, then the Nassau could definitely be an aim.” French representation could also come in the shape of the Alain de Royer Dupretrained duo of Ashtara, a convincing winner on debut and Edisa, who captured a Listed contest at Longchamp on her latest start. Both fillies are owned by the Aga Khan. Japanese raider Deirdre (Mitsuru Yashida) finished sixth in the G1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at the Royal Meeting on her latest start and she is another overseastrained hope among the 33 entries. Defending champion Wild Illusion (Charlie Appleby) was the two-length winner of the Nassau Stakes last year, before capturing the G1 Prix de l’opera at Longchamp. Godolphin’s four-yearof daughter of Dubawi was sixth on her return to action at Longchamp in May and is bidding to become the first horse since Midday (2009, 2010 and 2011) to win back-toback renewals of the Nassau. O’brien’s other entries include G1 Investec Oaks second Pink Dogwood, G1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes runner-up Magical and 2018 G2 Ribblesdale Stakes winner Magic Wand. Prix de l’arc de Triomphe runner-up Sea Of Class (William Haggas) returned to action with a fifth-placed effort in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and is another possible contender, as is stable companion Move Swiftly who landed the G2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at the Royal meeting. Sir Michael Stoute, targeting a record-equalling eighth success in the Nassau, has Duke Of Cambridge Stakes second Rawdaa and last year’s third Veracious engaged. Listed scorer Sun Maiden and last week’s Ribblesdale Stakes fourth Queen Power complete his quartet. Recent G2 Ribblesdale Stakes scorer Star Catcher is one of three entries for Newmarket trainer John Gosden, seeking a fifth Nassau success, along with Listed Cheshire Oaks winner Mehdaayih and Terebellum.