Sultanina gives Gosden a Group 1 and Nassau treble
Sultanina gave trainer John Gosden and jockey William Buick a third
successive success in the Nassau Stakes, the pair having taken the Group 1
contest at
Goodwood last year with Winsili and in 2012 with The Fugue. It was a fourth
Nassau victory in all for the trainer, as he also sent out Ryafan to success in
1997.
The Fugue had been favorite until injury ruled her out last month.
“It is nice to find a super-sub who can come off the bench like Messi,” said
Gosden of Sultanina.
Gosden has now won three Group 1s in a row within a week, after last
Saturday’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes with Taghrooda and the Sussex
Stakes on Wednesday with Kingman.
“It’s the sort of thing you don’t forget when you’re an old guy in your
rocking chair,” he said.
The four-year-old filly is owned and bred by Philippa Cooper at her Normandie
Stud, some 11 miles from Goodwood. A late developer, the four-year-old daughter
of New Approach did not race until this year, winning a Salisbury maiden on
debut in May. She has now won three out of four.
“The owner-breeder said to me after she won at Salisbury that she was the
best filly she had ever bred,” Gosden said. “I did wonder a bit at the time, but
she’s been proved right. Sultanina might be unbeaten but she was a little free
when she was second last time at Haydock (in the Lancashire Oaks). Her stamina
kicked in today in the final furlong and she has beaten a tough nut of a filly (Narniyn)
who brought good solid form to the table.”
French trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre felt the ground was against Narniyn after
her second-place finish. The four-year-old looked set to give France a first
triumph in the near 10-furlong contest, having squeezed up the rail to lead with
two furlongs to run. However, she wandered under pressure inside the final
furlong and was caught by the strong finishing Sultanina. The winning margin was
1 1/2 lengths, with three lengths back to the front-running Venus de Milo.
“I think the track is too firm for Narniyn. She changed her legs many times
and didn’t really handle the downhill. She did well to finish second but her
balance was not correct,” de Royer-Dupre said.
Sultanina is not likely to race on next year, and will probably appear next
in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes on Champions Day at Ascot on
October 18.
“I’d like to give her a break and bring a fresh filly to the autumn,” Gosden
said.
Meanwhile, de Royer-Dupre has plotted out the next start for Narniyn.
“Her next start will be in the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville in three weeks’
time.”
Of Venus de Milo, her trainer Aidan O’Brien said: “Venus De Milo ran well and
would prefer going further. She was a little bit all at sea on the track — you
could see she was stumbling a bit. She needs to be racing and I would say she
will go for the Yorkshire Oaks next. The track there will suit her better.”
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com