Nassau Stakes - Glorious Goodwood Day 5

Glorious Goodwood 3.05
Blue Square Nassau Stakes (Fillies' Group 1) (Class 1) (3YO plus)
Winner £114,420

Pick: Stacelita (win)

Anatara: Promising Godolphin recruit who romped home with German group event when last seen there; Made perfect start for Goldophin when winning Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom (give 3lbs to Reggane)and ran respectable race in Windsor Forest last time out; More required for step up to 10f for first time in tough spot.

Barshiba: Consistent mare who’s run series of cracking races and last season no exception, especially when upped back to 1m4f for her last 2 starts, which include a Yorkshire Oaks among an impressive rout of the Plantation Stud Stakes field under a hefty penalty; Same story with 2 wins this season in listed race and Lancashire Oaks and will give it her all even though she could be left flat footed.

Midday: Improved no end last season, coming second and fourth in the Epsom and Irish Oaks before bolting up in last year’s renewal of this, third in the L’Opera and then topping that with an impressive Breeder’s Cup filly and Mare Turf win; Great comeback run when fast closing in on Sariska (giving 5lbs) and must be considered the one to beat in her bid to and back to back renewal.

Stacelita: Developed into a top class 10f – middle distance filly last year, romping him in Prix Saint Alary and French Oaks before very respectable efforts in Vermille and Arc (1m4f not suiting); Fair effort when fourth behind Goldikova but looked on way back to best when comfortably landing odds in Group 3 at Longchamp last month; Her best could possibly run rivals ragged.

Strawberrydaquiri: Did nothing but progress last year, notching a 4 - timer with best and 3rd Listed win at Sandown under a heavy penalty, giving her a mark of 113, before coming an excellent fourth in the Sun Chariot, capping a great year; Has done nothing but improve this season, bettering hard fought wins with fourth in Falmouth; Should like step up to 10f and may not have finished improving (was hampered in Falmouth)

Contredanse: Much improved for Luca Cumani this year, rattling off 2 handicap wins prior to narrow success in Italian Oaks at Milan; More improvement probably on the cards and while this looks a tall order, you can count that she wouldn’t be over faced by Cumani team.

Rosanara: Showed immense promise when landing debut race and then Marcel Boussac in good style, although little disappointing when beaten into third on final start in Gran Criterium (soft ground not suit); Has been running consistently this season with a fourth in the French 1,000 Guineas and then coming second to stable-companion Sarafina in the Prix de Diane last time out; Supplemented for this off the back of travel problems in the Irish Oaks and major shout.

VERDICT: A top drawer renewal of the Nassau. Midday is arguably the best filly in the world and will take some stopping based on her run behind Sariska at York last time, when staying on and having to give 5lbs on her seasonal reappearance. She has to have a major chance. So does Rosanara, who has been running excellent races in France this season and has been supplemented. I think that it’s been forgotten just how good STACELITA was at her best over this trip last season and if she can reproduce that (fair chance with runs under her belt) she could just run them over.