The Nassau Stakes is behind only the Sussex Stakes in terms of prestigious races at Glorious Goodwood. The race has a history of bringing together top-class mares from a variety of trips.
Oaks winners and 1,000 Guineas winners have both won this race in recent years. This year the 1,000 Guineas winner, French Oaks winner and top-class 1m4f horses all meet in one of the most exciting betting puzzles of the week.
Our man Clive Gildon assesses the big race, giving his opinion on who wins along with a back-up play.
Bet On Goodwood
3.35 - Qatar Nassau Stakes (Group 1, 2m)
Open-age Group 1s have shown a greater tendency to go to three-year-olds in recent seasons and the market for this year's Nassau Stakes is dominated by the Classic generation.
Purely on this year's form, you would wonder why Opera Singer is favourite. She was third in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and second in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. While the form of the latter race has been boosted by winner Porta Fortuna, the level still leaves Opera Singer a little off the pace in the Nassau.
She was an impressive juvenile. She won the Marcel Boussac by five lengths and promises to suit this longer trip. Whether she offers value at current odds, set against her achievements so far, is contestable.
Opera Singer is a lot shorter than the 1,000 Guineas winner, Elmalka. She benefitted from having something to chase down in the Guineas and looked a little short of pace when fourth in the Coronation. She too has obvious potential for this longer distance, and her pedigree backs that up as she is a half-sister to globe-trotting 1m2f champion Benbatl. She is also the least exposed in the field.
The other prominent three-year-old is Prix de Diane (French Oaks) winner Sparkling Plenty. She was a convincing winner of her trial, so the minor surprise she pulled off in the Diane is not hard to justify in hindsight. Like Elmalka, you might not think 1m2f for her given her sire Kingman, but there is stamina on her dam's side. Her dam is an unraced Frankel half-sister to Stacellita, who also won the Diane as well as the 1m4f Group 1 Prix Vermeille.
But all the three-year-olds need to step up relative to the dominant older horse in this race, Emily Upjohn. She is a dual Group 1 winner who has also been second three times at that level, with some of those firsts and seconds in open-sex company. Of the three-year-olds, only Sparkling Plenty has so much as raced a colt and that was before she entered Group company.
Emily Upjohn is best known for her form at 1m4f, so she is dropping in trip while much of the competition is stepping up. She is still more than capable over 1m2f. She was second in last year's Eclipse, and shaped best in the Pretty Polly at the Curragh last time when Bluestocking (since second in last week's King George) reeled her in at the death.
The main reason for three-year-olds doing better in open-age Group 1s these days is the quick disappearance of older horses. With Emily Upjohn in this field, the three-year-olds in the Nassau do not have that luxury and they may struggle to come up to her level.
SELECTION: EMILY UPJOHN
NEXT BEST: ELMALKA
