Audarya one of 10 in Nassau contention

PA Sport Reporters
July 23, 2021 1:19 pm

Love also confirmed – but Empress Josephine and Joan Of Arc more likely.

James Fanshawe’s Breeders’ Cup winner Audarya is among 10 fillies and mares still in contention for the Group One Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood.

The five-year-old sprang to prominence last season, winning the Prix Jean Romanet before finishing third in the Prix de l’Opera.

She then went to Keeneland, where she secured a famous victory in the Filly And Mare Turf, and recently proved all that ability remains fully intact when pushing Love all the way on her return to action in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.

Love has also been confirmed for the Nassau, next Thursday, but appears highly unlikely to line up – given she is first set to contest the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Aidan O’Brien and Ioritz Mendizabal do it again! Joan Of Arc is a quality winner of the Group 1 Prix de Diane Longines at @fgchantilly… pic.twitter.com/q5rmxa4ifB
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 20, 2021

Love’s trainer Aidan O’Brien is instead expected to saddle one or both of his Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Empress Josephine and French Oaks winner Joan Of Arc.

Richard Hannon’s Snow Lantern showed a blistering turn of foot to win the Falmouth and could step up in trip, as could Lady Bowthorpe, who suffered a troubled passage when a close fourth in that Newmarket Group One.

Cayenne Pepper (Jessica Harrington), Shale (Donnacha O’Brien), Technique (Martyn Meade) and Zeyaadah (Roger Varian) also feature.

Earlier in the afternoon Group Two honours are up for grabs for the 15 juveniles entered in the Unibet Richmond Stakes.

Lusail after winning the July Stakes at Newmarket (David Davies/Jockey Club)

The six-furlong contest could see Hannon’s Lusail and the Alan King-trained Asymmetric renew rivalry after being split by just a head when first and second in the July Stakes at Newmarket.

Hannon has also entered Super Sprint winner Gubbass, as well as Armor and Secret Strength, while Richard Fahey is represented by Norfolk Stakes victor Perfect Power.

Hadman (Joseph O’Brien) and Twilight Jet (Michael O’Callaghan) are the two Irish contenders.

Thirteen entries for the Group Three John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes include the Andrew Balding-trained Youth Spirit and Varian’s Third Realm, who were last seen finishing down the field in the Derby, as well as Charlie Appleby’s Bahrain Trophy scorer Yibir.